A lone Buffalo grazes on The Wind River Indian Reservation at sunset.
Photo by Taylar Stagner.
In cold climates you wait until warm spring weather to build fences. Frozen ground is hard to dig into, plus snow will make getting equipment and people out to remote areas virtually impossible.
This year was different at Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, because the holidays saw no snow and the weather remained warm. Lander, a nearby town to the Reservation, saw a record breaking 65 degree day on Christmas Eve.
“We could have been fencing all winter,” Executive Director Jason Baldes joked during a recent team meeting. “It’s odd.”
This winter, it’s still warm and dry on the Wind River Indian Reservation. So, how do these winter conditions affect Buffalo?
The Wind River Basin, where much of the reservation is located, gets a lot of its water from glaciers and snowpack that make their way into the Wind River later in the season. It’s important to note that the northwest side of the Wind River Mountains saw a lot of snow, and Wyoming gets most of its moisture in early spring.
The National Integrated Drought Information System said precipitation as of early December is above or near the median, and that a single snow storm can change snowpack dramatically.
“However, much warmer-than-normal temperatures caused precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow across many basins, leading to snow doubt despite wetter-than-normal conditions across most of the west,” the statement said.
For the Wind River Indian Reservation this might affect the water that’s in the Wind River, the main natural water source that runs right through the Shoshone and Arapaho’s herds.
Because of the lack of snowfall, there is a concern for how much forage will be available in early spring for the Buffalo. “We will see how winter will affect the grasses,” Science Director Albert Mason said. “Good thing [the Buffalo] are drought resistant.”
When there is less water available this affects forage for Buffalo, who traditionally mitigated these risks by being able to move across a large landscape in search of food. Typically wildlife during heavy snow migrate to warmer climates or hibernate. Buffalo don’t hibernate but historically did migrate around 1,000 miles a year in search of forage.
A Buffalo hide is stretched out to dry in the winter sun. Photo by Taylar Stagner.
On the ground at the beginning of 2026
Right now, the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative is working on expanding habitat for both tribes’ Buffalo herds so that they have more land to look for forage even when weather conditions are dry and warm.
Water availability on the Wind River Indian Reservation is a complex topic that includes lots of different factors. General availability, legal challenges, management, and what infrastructure is available to store and convey water are all important to consider.
“Climate change is a part of the story,” Mason said. While dry weather conditions can contribute to overall water availability, its infrastructure and who gets access to water that also affect what water gets to the Buffalo. According to this 2018 paper about micro-drought at the Wind River Indian Reservation, climate change impacts are on par with these other factors.
When snow is deep, Buffalo are excellent at moving through large drifts. Thick winter coats with fine undercoats that wick away water help keep them dry, and their large humps act like a roof on a well insulated house.
Most days, Mason is out in the field. Recently, he said the Buffalo have a lot less hair than last year. “They look less shaggy than in the past.”
Jason Baldes said he agrees that the Buffalo look like they are adapting this year to the weather by growing less hair, but more research is needed. He said not only on hair growth but in all aspects of how Buffalo adapts to climate and weather.
“WRTBI can help facilitate that research in the future,” he said.
Recommended Reading: What Do Buffalo Eat? Understanding Their Diet and Habits