Why were the buffalo unable to be counted in the great slaughter?

The buffalo were unable to be counted during the great slaughter due to the sheer scale and chaos of the event. Massive herds roamed freely across vast landscapes, making it difficult for observers to accurately tally their numbers. Additionally, the rapid pace of the slaughter, driven by commercial interests and the use of rifles, further obscured any attempt at counting as buffalo were killed in large numbers in a short time frame. The combination of these factors contributed to the overwhelming confusion and the inability to keep an accurate count.