"My forefathers loved this land, they left it here for me, but the white man came with boats and trains and dirty factories. Poisoned my existence with his deeds" America Remains by the Highwaymen
The story of America's Bison, aka Tatonka in the Lakota native tongue, is one of survival, tragedy, and success. Seldom is there a situation where a single species makes or breaks the survival of a civilization, but this is one of those stories. Without the bison the nomadic plans tribes of the American west wouldn't have flourished. Of course the hunting grounds were also the cause for numerous territorial Tribal Wars.
Then came the settlers and bison hunters along with the trains which fueled the extensive export of bison merchandise (mainly the hides). This of course, lead to the near extinction of the once immense population.
Today their once boundless habitat has shrunk to only a few wild herds. Luckily the American public can still experience the sizable spectacle of these creatures in Yellowstone National Park. While camping in the Backcountry we went to sleep under the stars to the growls of these symbolic creatures.
