The Relationship Between Hunter-Gathering and Bison

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In the 1860s and 70s, there was this great demand for bison robes. And people were going out there to kill them; they were disrupting herds. It wasn't like they were using them for food or anything. I think that had a great disruption of the breeding process and the populations just crashed. The humans are probably bison's biggest predators.

Bison bison! Not just something to holler into the sky, but also the scientific name for North America's majestic wild bovines that once roamed the plains in the tens of millions. What's up with their humps? On what occasion do they wear capes? What noises do they make? How many are out there? What are the best ways to help them? In this special episode, you get 4x the usual number of ologists as we talk to archeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, wildlife biologist Dr. Dan McNulty, Alie's cousin Boyd and his wife Lila Evans, of the Blackfeet Tribe, who are bison ranchers based in Northern Montana. Also, once and for all: is it buffalo or bison? And can Alie hug one?

A donation went to: InterTribal Bison Council (ITBC)

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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Theme song by Nick Thorburn