It is time for a cease-fire in the so-called buffalo hunts that take place on the western and northern edges of Yellowstone National Park. Winter came early and hard and we witnessed one of the largest migrations into Montana long before Yellowstone was established. No less than 1,175 buffalo were killed — the majority of them were slaughtered in the killing fields of Beattie Gulch in the Gardiner Basin — mostly by tribal hunters.
The American bison, or American buffalo as they are commonly called, were once close to extinction. Their numbers dropped from 30-60 million to around 500 because of overhunting in the 19th century. But they made an unlikely comeback and continue to captivate people. At Yellowstone National Park – home to the largest bison herd in the U.S., with almost 6,000 head of wild bison – they are a major attraction for visitors. In 2023 the park attracted more than 3 million people. Conservationists and