I was thinking about… When the Buffalo Roamed (How Greed and Policy Lead to Near Extinction of Bison and Decimation of Native Ways)
By Andy Lee
Y’all, few things represent the wild frontier history of the American West better than the massive bison herds that used to roam the Great Plains. I wanted to dive deep into the story of how those iconic shaggy beasts went from millions strong to near extinction in just a few decades during the mid to late 1800s. It’s a dramatic tale of one of the greatest wildlife slaughters in human history driven by greed and government policies that wreaked havoc on Indigenous tribes.
See, before the 19th century, Native American tribes like the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Blackfoot had hunted bison for centuries, using every part of the animal and never taking more than needed. This allowed the estimated 30-60 million bison grazing the plains to thrive. But as American settlers pushed west, they discovered a huge potential food source. Before long, commercial hunting operations sprang up to supply eastern markets. With railroad transport allowing fast shipment of hides and tongues, the slaughter escalated.
As bison numbers rapidly dwindled, Native Americans grew desperate. The Lakota and other tribes tried to defend the bison but were unsuccessful. This animal was essential to their way of life, providing food, clothing, and tools. But the hunters were relentless in pursuing profits over sustainability.
New mass-killing techniques made the slaughter even more efficient and devastating. Hunters would target herd leaders to panic the animals into a deadly stampede. Trapping bison in corrals or shooting them from railcars resulted in thousands mowed down in one go. Often hunters only took valuable hides and tongues, leaving carcasses to rot on the prairie.
Simultaneously, the US government aimed to deliberately eliminate the herds, forcing tribes onto reservations so settlers could take over Indigenous lands. As the government starved tribes of their bison sustenance, Native populations suffered immensely.
In just decades, the bison population was decimated. By the mid-1880s, under 1,000 bison remained in the wild. By 1890, the species teetered on extinction. This eliminated a nutritional and spiritual centerpiece of Native American life. Entire ways of life were lost as communities were stripped of their self-sufficiency and connection to the bison that had sustained them for generations. The rapid disappearance of the herds was a trauma that deeply scarred Indigenous populations.
Fortunately, late 19th century conservation efforts helped restore bison from the brink. Today around 500,000 bison live in conservation herds, though only 20,000 roam wild – a tiny fraction of historic numbers.
The story of the bison hunters demonstrates the immense damage unchecked commercial and government forces can inflict on nature and indigenous peoples in the name of profit. The bison slaughter forever changed the Great Plains and tribes who depended on the herds. As someone who loves learning about our nation’s past, this sobering history makes me appreciate that we need more thoughtful, sustainable relationships with wildlife and minority populations moving forward.
Here’s my take as a history buff: The way Native American tribes were treated during the extermination of bison is truly heartbreaking. Their entire way of life was ripped away in an extremely short period of time without any care for the generations of culture and deep bonds they shared with the bison. Forcibly driving tribes into starvation and suffering just to claim their land is a grim example of government policies prioritizing expansion over humanity.
While we can’t undo the damage, this period represents one of the darkest examples of American greed layered on top of systemic disregard for minorities and sustainable practices. It’s an ethical blind spot I hope we can learn from and demonstrate greater compassion from today forward. Perhaps by learning this history, we can make some small amends to the descendants of tribes who underwent immense hardship, treat remaining wild bison more thoughtfully, and create policies that show greater care for both the natural world and all peoples who inhabit it. The untamed story of the West remains relevant if we let its lessons guide us toward justice and environmental stewardship.
Well, those are my ponderings on the bison hunting era and its lasting impacts. Let me know if you want me to explore any other fascinating slices of America’s past.
Stay curious, keep exploring.
I was thinking about... 