The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative is
Restoring our Connection with the Buffalo
Healing the Land, Healing Ourselves
Millions of Buffalo once roamed the Great Plains of America. They were integral to the ecosystem of prairies and the Native peoples who long called them home.
Buffalo provided food, clothing, and shelter, and were essential in the spiritual ceremonies of Tribes. Nearly every part of the animal was used, including horns, meat, and tail hairs.
As we work to restore the Buffalo, a process of renewal and healing begins that balances human, animal, and environmental health.
Buffalo Territory
Before 1800, it is estimated that 60 million Buffalo roamed the plains of North America. By 1900, there were fewer than two dozen left in Yellowstone.
Notes from Sage Country
“The Buffalo was part of us, his flesh and blood being absorbed by us until it became our own flesh and blood. Our clothing, our tipis, everything we needed for life came from the buffalo’s body. It was hard to say where the animals ended and the human began.”
Meet Jason Baldes
Founder of Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
“The Buffalo have helped me, personally. I know that as the Buffalo heal and are restored to this land, our people will also be healed and restored. Because, we have a connection with them. We are people of the Buffalo.”
The Story of the Buffalo
News & Stories
Bison Return to Native American Lands, Revitalizing Sacred Rituals
Caption for photo: Jason Baldes of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe preparing to pick up some of 35 bison from Denver Mountain Park that were being transferred to Native American tribes near Golden, Colo., in March. Credit: David Zalubowski/Associated Press JULY 4, 2023...
New Press: Rebuilding relationships with bison
April 15, 2023 We were recently invited to join the Tribal Talks discussion at Teton County Library. Thank you to Jackson Hole News & Guide for writing a story before the gathering. Explore the historical relationships between people and buffalo with Jason Baldes...
Denver Donates 30 Bison to Tribal Nations
March 20, 2023 On March 15, 2023, 29 Buffalo were transported from Genesee to the Wind River Indian Reservation. This year’s transfer includes 17 bison to the Northern Arapaho Tribe and 12 to the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. This momentous occasion has created a buzz...
Reaching Our Goal
We are restoring the Wind River Indian Reservation with conservation Buffalo, free of cattle genetics and protected under Tribal law. Our goal is to have 1,000 or more.
10
BUFFALO IN 2016
100+
BUFFALO IN 2022
1000+
BUFFALO IN THE FUTURE
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Buffalo in Shoshone
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