The Missing Bison

The Missing Bison. . If you could step back in time to the year 1700 A.D., one of the most striking changes you'd see would be the immense herds of bison that lived in this area. Between 30 and 60 million bison roamed North America until the mid 1800s. Where did they all go?, Most of the bison herds were destroyed in the 1870s and 1880s, but their removal started even earlier as settlers moved into the Midwest., Some were eliminated by farmers who needed to protect their crops. Fur trappers and traders also hunted bison. Once the railroad connected our coasts, the slaughter became even easier. Markets existed for bison tongue, a delicacy. Their bones were ground for fertilizer; the hides sent back to tanneries; and the balance left to rot. By 1884, only 325 wild bison remained., Bison were essential for the health of prairies. Their grazing helped spread plant seeds. Their hooves gouged the soil and opened places for these seeds to sprout. They also ate small saplings which might otherwise have grown into larger trees that shaded out prairie species., A few bison herds remain, including a herd of 1,200 in Custer State Park. Native tribes are also taking a leadership role in the bison's recovery. Both the Omaha and the Ponca have bison herds., The bison was more than a source of food. Nearly every part of the bison could be used. It literally sheltered, clothed, fed, and supplied the tools of daily living for the indigenous people living here.