Washington Youth 'Go Play Outside' InitiativeWashington
The American Bison - Symbol of Active Outdoors
The American bison, the largest North American land mammal,
symbolizes the rugged American West.
This magnificent animal, however, once roamed North America from the
Northwest Territories to Florida, Pennsylvania to Mexico and west to
California. Once numbering 30 to 70 million animals, the bison was hunted
nearly into extinction, but this incredibly resilient animal survived the
unregulated killing in the late 1800s and endures
today. Bison were shot from the windows of trains as a
tourist attraction and market hunters shipped more than a million
hides east in 1872-1873 alone.
William "Buffalo Bill" Cody killed
more than 4,000 buffalo in just two years.
Thanks to protective
hunting regulations and the establishment of sanctuaries such as
Yellowstone Park, The National Bison Refuge in Montana and individuals
raising bison on their own land, the buffalo has enjoyed a resurgence and now numbers
more than 350,000 animals.
The buffalo's strength, speed, efficiency, majesty and resilience
represent all that is Active Outdoors.
