Tribal Bison Belong in Tribal Hands This National Bison Day
Tribal bison feed our families and our future. Today, November 7, is National Bison Day. For our ancestors, the buffalo meant food, shelter, tools, and prayer. Bringing that relative home is a common-sense goal every American can support.
A Bipartisan Bill Would Put Tribal Bison in Tribal Hands
In March 2026, Colorado Representative Jeff Hurd introduced the Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act, H.R. 7954, with Republican and Democratic cosponsors. The bill would let the Interior Department fund tribal buffalo restoration, buffalo businesses, and mobile tribal meat processing. It would also allow surplus buffalo on federal land to move onto Indian land and require federal buffalo policy on Indian land to follow tribal laws and tribally approved plans. The House Natural Resources Committee approved it by unanimous consent on September 15, and it now awaits a vote by the full House.
It is not law yet, so now is the time to ask Congress to finish the job.
Tribal Bison Herds Are Already Growing Across Indian Country
Tribes are already raising their own buffalo. The Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana manage one of the largest tribally owned herds, roughly 1,000 animals, and received 219 Yellowstone bison in February 2026, according to the Montana Free Press. Fort Peck has also shared bison with more than two dozen tribes in 16 states. In March 2026, the Navajo Nation welcomed 11 bison from Denver for its Wolf Springs and Boyer ranches in Colorado, the Navajo Times reported.
________
Join Our Membership - Free!
________Nationwide, about 87 tribes in the InterTribal Buffalo Council care for almost 25,000 bison, according to a 2025 Senate resolution.
Buffalo Meat Brings Lean Protein Back to Our Tables
Buffalo is real food for modern families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists lean ground bison as a source of protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium, and notes it can replace ground beef in chili, casseroles, and burgers. A nutrient-rich red meat raised on tribal land keeps food dollars at home and puts healthier meals on the table. That is sovereignty in action!
Our grandparents knew the buffalo made our people strong, as we explored in Native Warriors of the Land. Let’s bring the buffalo home for good.
