Bison - Species at Risk - Lewis and Clark

"[T]he country in every direction around us was one vast plain in which innumerable herds of Buffalow were seen attended by their shepherds, the wolves; the solitary antelope which now had their young were distributed over its face; some herds of elk were also seen." -- Meriwether Lewis.

Though he recorded many detailed scientific observations of animals the Corps of Discovery encountered, Captain Meriwether Lewis got closer to one bison than he might have desired. On May 29, 1805, a bull swam across the Missouri River and thundered through camp, skirting several of the men's heads by inches, before Lewis's dog barked and the bison ran off. One of Clark's rifles was trampled, but everyone was glad to have escaped with such minimal damage.

This lone bull undoubtedly made an impression, but the bison, also called buffalo, were most noticeable in the vast herds that seemed the very life of the plains. They infused the grasslands, their many hooves beating the ground, the bulls' roaring echoing off the hills, their backs carpeting the prairie. For plains tribes and explorers alike, the bison were key to every aspect of life. Members of the Corps worried how they would feed themselves as they pressed west and left the bison behind.

taking a closer look

It's not too late to bring back bison herds and restore grasslands. The Sierra Club is actively involved in efforts to:

Protect national grasslands, such as the Fort Pierre and Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, as wilderness and establish bison reserves.

Allow bison to leave Yellowstone National Park and occupy adjacent public lands.

Keep off-road vehicles such as dirt bikes and snowmobiles out of sensitive areas, including Yellowstone National Park.

Protect key state lands as bison habitat.