The American bison, or buffalo, is a huge ungulate with a tall hump and relatively tiny head, with brains to match. Males weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and females, 1,000 pounds; both sexes have horns. In 1830, there were an estimated 70-150 million buffalo. They roamed the Great Plains in numbers so great early European explorers described them as "numbers-numberless," and "the plains were black and appeared as if in motion." Their migration paths were so trampled that modern highways are based on their routes. Before the arrival of Anglos, Indian people hunted buffalo for many reasons, keeping the population stable. But by 1830, beaver had been all but exterminated, and buffalo robes were made popular -- and the hunting stampede was on. From 1870-75, Anglo hunters killed 2,500,000 bison for fur companies. The most famous buffalo hunter was William "Buffalo Bill Cody," who became an impresario of Wild West shows. The estimated number of buffalo at the turn of the 20th century was less than 1,000 animals in the U.S. And Canada combined. In 1902, buffalo numbers were so low the federal government outlawed hunting of them, and began a restoration project in Yellowstone National Park. There are now more than 250,000 buffalo in public and private herds in the U.S. And Canada, but virtually none are free-roaming. A good place to see them is the National Bison Range in Montana or Yellowstone National Park.
