Though the early explorers frequently described bison as dangerous, early interest in their domestication existed. May Theilgaard Watts (1957) cites a letter by the governor-general of Canada in 1750 to the King of France: "The buffalo, if caught and attached to the plough, would move it at a speed superior to that of the domestic ox."
Even earlier, Hennepin (1938) suggested that: "The calves could easily be domesticated and used for tilling the soil."
Although some accounts of successful domestication do exist (Dary, 1974; Belue, 1996; Roe, 1972), they are few relative to those of failures. Schoolcraft (1820) wrote:

The attempts which have been made to domesticate this animal, have not been attended with success. Calves which have been taken in the woods and brought up with the tame breed, have afterwards discovered a wild and ungovernable temper, and manifested their savage nature by breaking down the strongest enclosure, and enticing the tame cattle into the woods.

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