▁left ▁on . ▁▁ ▁They ▁were ▁used ▁as ▁blank ets , ▁s add les ▁or ▁as ▁trade ▁items ▁by ▁the ▁Ab original ▁people ▁of ▁North ▁America ▁who ▁inhab ited ▁the ▁vast ▁grass lands ▁of ▁the ▁Inter ior ▁Pla ins . ▁Some ▁were ▁painted ▁with ▁p ict ograph s ▁or ▁Winter ▁counts ▁that ▁dep ict ▁important ▁events ▁such ▁as ▁ep ide m ics , ▁fam ines ▁and ▁batt les . ▁▁ ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁the ▁great ▁demand ▁for ▁buff alo ▁ro bes ▁in ▁the ▁commercial ▁cent res ▁of ▁Montreal , ▁New ▁York , ▁St . ▁Paul ▁and ▁St . ▁Louis ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁near ▁ext inction ▁of ▁the ▁species . ▁The ▁ro bes ▁were ▁used ▁as ▁blank ets ▁and ▁padding ▁in ▁carri ages ▁and ▁sle igh s ▁and ▁were ▁made ▁into ▁Buff alo ▁co ats . ▁ ▁Only ▁h ides ▁taken ▁in ▁winter ▁between ▁November ▁and ▁March ▁when ▁the ▁f urs ▁are ▁in ▁their ▁prime ▁were ▁suitable ▁for ▁buff alo ▁ro bes . ▁The ▁summer ▁h ides ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁make ▁cover ings ▁for ▁tip is ▁and ▁m oc cas ins ▁and ▁had ▁little ▁value ▁to ▁trad ers . ▁ ▁Gallery ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁M ét is ▁buff alo ▁h unt # B uff alo ▁ro be ▁trade ▁Pla ins ▁hide ▁painting ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Lak ota ▁winter ▁counts ▁P aint ed ▁Buff alo ▁Rob e ▁Dec or ative ▁ro bes ▁Buff alo ▁Rob e ,