3 - year - old ▁John ▁Ro ose vel t . ▁The ▁two ▁tra ve led ▁first ▁to ▁Dallas ▁and ▁planned ▁to ▁h unt ▁b ison ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁between ▁W ax ah ach ie , ▁Texas ▁and ▁Houston , ▁Texas . ▁They ▁also ▁intended ▁to ▁spend ▁some ▁time ▁at ▁Fort ▁McK av ett ▁State ▁Historical ▁Site , ▁a ▁since ▁g host ▁town ▁in ▁Men ard ▁County , ▁Texas . ▁Once ▁in ▁Dallas , ▁however , ▁their ▁plans ▁changed ▁after ▁they ▁met ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁other ▁young ▁men , ▁one ▁of ▁whom ▁was ▁the ▁sports man ▁Andrew ▁James on , ▁whose ▁family ▁made ▁a ▁fortune ▁in ▁Irish ▁whis key . ▁These ▁young ▁men ▁talked ▁Elli ott ▁and ▁John ▁to ▁go ▁directly ▁to ▁West ▁Texas ▁to ▁h unt ▁b ison . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁the ▁group ▁of ▁eight ▁men ▁left ▁Dallas . ▁By ▁mid - J anu ary ▁they ▁were ▁at ▁a ▁location ▁just ▁west ▁of ▁Graham , ▁Texas ▁where ▁they ▁listened ▁to " ▁the ▁pan ther ▁and ▁wol ves ▁cry ing ▁and ▁how ling " ▁and ▁kept ▁their ▁fire ar ms ▁within ▁easy ▁reach . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁wrote : ▁ ▁“ It ▁is ▁a ▁gl orious ▁free ▁life ," ▁so ▁exc iting ▁that ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁grow ▁homes ick . ▁The ▁party ▁passed ▁through ▁Fort ▁Griff in , ▁Texas , ▁where ▁they ▁found ▁in ▁abund ance ▁b ison , ▁de er , ▁ant el ope , ▁qu ail , ▁wild ▁tur keys