Early in our nation’s history, before European settlers came, it is estimated there were between 30 and 70 million bison in America. Native Americans would follow the bison herds, hunting only as many as they needed and using every part of the animal: meat for food; skins for clothing and shelter; horns, hooves and bones for tools; sinew for thread and rope; and droppings for fuel.

When settlers pushed west in the 1800s, they began to kill the bison in large numbers to trade the skins and meat. Bison were also killed simply to get rid of them. By getting rid of the bison, settlers thought they could get Native Americans to move to other land and also use the bison’s grazing lands for their cattle. By 1890 they had nearly succeeded; there were less than 1,000 bison left in the country.

The population of bison has increased to about 200,000 in the United States, mostly due to the protection of bison herds in national parks and privately-owned ranches. There are few bison that are wild and free-ranging. The American bison is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.