Bison Range, MT
The National Bison Range is in the center of the 1,250,000-acre Flathead Indian Reservation and consists of 18,766 acres. Over half of the NBR borders Indian trust land and waterways. The NBR is currently managed as a National Wildlife Refuge by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
After the National Bison Range was established in 1908, the federal government needed to obtain animals for its initial bison population. An enduring irony is that most of the bison acquired for the NBR’s initial herd consisted of the recently-ejected bison from the Pablo-Allard herd, or their descendants, that were bought back from their recent off-Reservation purchasers. The Tribes’ special relationship and history with these particular bison are the sources of continued pride and an ongoing sense of responsibility for their well-being.
After the National Bison Range was established in 1908, the federal government needed to obtain animals for its initial bison population. An enduring irony is that most of the bison acquired for the NBR’s initial herd consisted of the recently-ejected bison from the Pablo-Allard herd, or their descendants, that were bought back from their recent off-Reservation purchasers. The Tribes’ special relationship and history with these particular bison are the sources of continued pride and an ongoing sense of responsibility for their well-being.
