Bison herds once ranged from the Appalachian Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. By the late 1800s, only about 500 bison remained in America. Market demands had reduced their numbers from millions. Many of the last free-roaming bison were provided a place to live with the creation of the National Bison Range in western Montana. Today bison can be seen in many national parks, refuges and on private farms across America.
Bison eat grass, small plants and shrubs.
They can live to be almost 40 years old. A few regions still have hunting seasons for bison, and bison populations are growing. An ongoing wildlife management research project on the North Dakota prairies will have long-range benefits for nesting upland birds and waterfowl species. The information garnered from this project will help waterfowl managers everywhere better manage bird populations. The project focuses on predator management and the effect that predator population control has on the number of new birds recruited to existing populations.