Who Killed 50,000,000 Buffalo?

50,000,000 Buffalo went missing from the American West, and modern ranching has taken their place!
Was there a government conspiracy to starve the Indians or was it just business?
Trinity Vandenacre investigates the rumor that a government conspiracy was to blame for the disappearance of the buffalo from the American West and how this effected modern ranching today.
Steer In Trailer Sales in Three Forks, Montana was kind enough to allow me the use of this incredible horse/stock trailer for this trip.
This particular trailer is 24' long and has a huge tack room and a great place to separate your saddle horse from the rest of the stock. It's called the "Cowboy Tack" by 4Star, and you can get $500 off this particular trailer if you call over to steerin.com and tell them Trinity sent you.
Steer In Trailer Sales, Three Forks, MT: steerin.com.

[@frang58]

You're not wrong in crediting Charlie Goodnight for his role in saving bison but more than one source says it was his wife, Molly who encouraged him to do so.

[@LifeintheWest]

Very well could be. None of the articles I read from back then mentioned that, but our wives often have a very significant role in our decisions. 😉

[@lauriecollins7312]

@@LifeintheWest 👍Stowes book” Uncle Toms Cabin” read mostly by a “ woman author” had a great effect on the plight of slaves in South.

[@lauriecollins7312]

Yes Government genecide by destroying food source. Regardless of inception the government justified and implemented the program. They haven’t stopped to this date.

[@jospleth2713]

Read the Goodnight biography. Or visit Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas panhandle to learn more. Enjoyed this one.

[@Mike-xi4zt]

Ok sure yea, they could have put Humpty Dumpty back together if all of the king's wives would have tried instead of all of the King's Men.

[@leidersammlung6955]

Thank you for describing the Democratic process so accurately! Two sides argue, the most aggressive do as they please, and no one is ever accountable for anything. Perfect.

[@johnjohnson798]

I totally agree, thank the Lord we're a Republic and not a democracy.

[@leidersammlung6955]

@@johnjohnson798 Republic….. from the Latin “Re” meaning Rule, and “Public” which translates to “the people”……. Not corporation’s, not “special interest groups”…… but the people. Like Trinity was saying in the video above about “capitalism” when it was really just lawless individuals feeding the fires of collectivism….don’t worry about it. Most people don’t really know how to label things nowadays, but happily stamp a false label on those who do know. Perfect

[@two-strokesmoke7289]

@@johnjohnson798 We are about to be nothing........I think God has had enough of the USA. (opinion)

[@01Lenda]

​@two-strokesmoke7289 Good thing that is just your opinion. GOD BLESSED us as a nation, AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

[@BLAM777]

​@@two-strokesmoke7289could be right. What we used to call evil is now called good in our country and good is called evil. God sent His people into Babylon for 70 yrs for their disobedience. This country has appeared to turn their backs to Him.

[@believergurl5423]

Thank you Trinity, very educational. Keep up the good work. Thank you for speaking up. My Grandfather was a rancher. Most people don't understand. Thanks again.

[@alibali672]

Similar to what is being done to the food supply today - cattle cull in Ireland, paying farmers to retire early in UK, Netherlands trying to get rid of a third of their farms. The Netherlands is one of the biggest food exporters in the world. Farmers accepting payment for their farms are not permitted to farm anywhere in the EU again. They are trying to prevent some of the Amish selling food. All sorts of regulations are being introduced in Europe to make farming impossible. The list goes on.

[@TiaraPoodles]

Hear hear! Finest comment of the subject award from me.

[@user-rf3cn2ou3x]

Farming is a big business , and corporate interests are lobbying to get rid of small farms anyway they can.

[@Highnoonshred]

As someone who calls Gallentin Valley home! This episode is epic!! Thanks

[@suzieparis6821]

Gallatin

[@TUCOtheratt]

This is a great video production! Very interesting and informative. Being out there on the prairie with you as you tell the history from horseback is really cool!😃👍

[@oletimer5853]

Trapped in NJ so I truly appreciate these videos .. with the landscape and the history that I love … and the lifestyle that I miss so much

[@suzieparis6821]

Trapped in Texas.. born in Indiana.. escaped to Montana.. had a family thing n cant get home to Montana 😭

[@jackiemontogmery125]

Thank you for an amazing history lesson, Trinity. Plus beautiful scenery! Grammy from Texas

[@MeRawhide]

There was a noticeable change in bison population already in 1858, in northern plains. Way before the time of the hide hunters. There was also a big decline in numbers early 1800 on the southern plains. To anybody interested, I'd recommend "reinterpreting the 1882 bison population collapse" article by Sierra Dawn Stoneberg Holt, a montanan also and her interwiew in KZbin "what actually killed all the buffalo "

[@LifeintheWest]

Yes. Lots more factors than just what we often hear.

[@herrent]

You mean 1780s?

[@zapatafa]

As always, great content, great research. Thank you for these videos.

[@dottiehildebrand3123]

Thank you Trinity for bring the truth about the Indians and the Buffalo's I believe it was to starve the Indians. I'm part Indian and this subject is close to our heritage.. God bless. Be safe..Till your next video❤

[@TiaraPoodles]

Agree.

[@authorr.macwheeler4530]

Extraordinary essay. I'm a historian buff, and you added a lot to what I understood happened in this region. Kudos to you, sir. And thank you.

[@johnchambers427]

Great video sir. One thing you forgot to mention was the railroads going west. The rich bureaucrats used to ride on the trains and sport shoot and kill wild game. Especially the Buffalo's. The buffalos would get on the tracks and the train would have to stop. So the railroad companies took it up on their selves to hire people to kill out the Buffalo along the train tracks. And yes I think our federal government was behind it to eradicate the Indians. The Buffalo was the native Americans lifeline. They depended on the buffalo in so many ways.

[@TiaraPoodles]

Agreed. I will skip watching probably that this info was overlooked.

[@MaggieR28]

Great episode! Fascinating to hear this history and how things came to be the way they are in present day, with the lovely backdrop of you out on in the preserve. Hope you will be doing more like this. 👍👍

[@sandilacy9498]

What about the story of the kill of buffalo when the railway was put in? That was the only story that was told in our history class back in the day.

[@LifeintheWest]

I forgot to mention the railroad as a significant factor as well. Mainly as a way to easily ship large numbers of hides to the east.

[@dennishayes65]

The railroads wanted the “BISON” gone so they wouldn’t obstruct their travel (slow the trains).

[@shadowknightgladstay4856]

​@@dennishayes65 yep you hit a bison and it could derail the train.

[@galeparker1067]

Buffalo were shot as sport from train passengers, apparently....

[@robdunham7398]

It just accelerated the process.

[@barbmorgenroth9365]

Thank you so much for sharing your insight into this important subject, Trinity. The buffalo are indeed a part of Montana history. Keep up the great job you're doing with your videos and informing us. Also, its wonderful that Calibar can be taking part in them as well. Looking forward to your next video for sure!!

[@robertwoelk26]

I also told by a fellow that was tanning the Buffalo hide, said that the hind half is different then the front half, which was a thicker .

[@theresalannen1738]

Another informative video. Thanks for all you do! 😊

[@charliewoods1179]

Many thanks for sharing all the great info and video..

[@MrBowNaxe]

Another great video Trinity! The bison slaughter was an atrocity on so many levels it boggles the mind. The fact that Indians relied on them as a staple food source is one thing but the waste of an animal just for a hide infuriates me as a hunter. I understand that was the way of the day then and it took almost extinction to get anyone's attention. I love the idea that there's an attempt to bring bison back but truthfully they are very hard to handle unlike cattle. What's the answer? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to see what's next.

[@scratchgolfer12]

Thank you for another great video!

[@josegonza1ez]

gosh im so glad i found this channel! Im binging all these videos!

[@freeto9139]

And, that is so true. What a refreshing blessing these videos are!

[@steveshepard7935]

Another awesome video Trinity! I'm glad to have discovered you.

[@allthingsconsidered5958]

Great video! I really enjoyed it and learned something as well.

[@dianesmith8183]

Thanks very much for this video. Informative and fun. Bless you & yours ❤

[@donniebell862]

Thoroughly enjoyed ur video on the history of the Buffalo!!! Hope all is well with you an your family my friend, take care!!!

[@pattybryd7228]

A lot of interesting information in this video. Thanks!

[@memontana1056]

Awesome video, great content and very informative. This is the first time I have become aware of much of the information you presented. Love the way you put all the different perspectives of the history and how it relates to now days. Great JOB! Be sure to stay topside that Black buffalo pony. Thanks for this video.

[@codybarnett2217]

This is an absolutely amazing video!

[@rnsanders7834]

Thanks for sharing your research!! Interesting. Some I'd not heard. Almost always several factions involved in any given situation, and knowing our history can help us make better choices in the future.

[@kurtwestfall1158]

Excellent, as always

[@LAZYRRANCH]

I just want to thank u for your videos please keep them coming and keep ranching😊

[@user-th5ft8ot4v]

Great video, profesional and informative.

[@milesbliss3256]

Great video Trinity 👍

[@johnhaugen8319]

My father at 11 years of age came to Dakota territory in 1888 with his parents and several siblings. They homesteaded at Taylor N.D. His oldest sister was already in Dakota married to an open range rancher. Granddad’s homestead is still in the family.on dad’s homestead 20 miles north he showed me rings of stones where the Indians would camp when they were hunting. That property has only been sold once and has never been broken, or divided. So it is a full section of virgin prairie.

[@DixieGeezer]

This is the same old story of GREED! We had at one time, a huge Salmon population in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. No more because 6000 boats were out trolling with nets. I've always believed 1/3 of the fisheries should be for reproduction, 1/3 for ocean predator's, and 0-1/3 for human consumption. Now in Skagit Bay the Orcas are starving because of, NO SALMON.

[@johnschroeder7528]

The hydroelectric dams were very much to blame for the lost salmon runs. There used to be a salmon run on the Skagit River every month of the year before they put in the dams.

[@barbmartin1032]

very interesting thanks for sharing

[@raywharrie3758]

First, don't ever go by Google's canned information for historical data. That's never smart.

[@cherylbfrey5936]

Absolutely love your channel and your focus. This one was the best by far!! You are doing GREAT THINGS with this Chanel..are you following what happening with Maine Farmers? Keep up what you’re doing…

[@tonistephens4068]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing!

[@TBA01XX]

Great videos you produce. Please give us information on the vest and shirts you ware.

[@xvsj5833]

Trinity interesting content thank you !

[@cindy9032]

Thanks for this history of the past... Save the Ranchers & Farmers.... Let people Homestead their lands... Doing this w/o government intervention!

[@drb4020]

Hello my family moved here Titusville Pa in 1800 to build a tannery because our farm was covered with Hemlock trees,which they used the Bark for tanning hides.it was one of the first tannery in our area.now the hemlock is gone and I still farm. I love watching your videos thank you

[@justafan5179]

Outstanding video!!!

[@u842]

Great video!

[@carleto9597]

Thanks for more update of the buffalo and what happen in the late 1800's. Looks like Calibar is doing real well. I think Mary Ann Dyer Goodnight really helped the buffalo out during that era of what I read. Thanks Trinity

[@barbaraberrier8840]

We need people like you to investigate the government to see what they are doing to our country now. That was very interesting.

[@peterm.eggers520]

You are certainly not going back in time as the prarie was considerably different in plant composition, and the absence of the great migrations of bison were essential to maintain the environment.

[@Challender]

Thank You, Trinity

[@christyb7590]

I'm loving your content!

[@Gossamer314]

It sounds like England and Germany had a lot to do with the massive amount of buffalo killed.

[@robertburey4704]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@CrossTimbersSon]

I appreciate your willingness to discuss this controversial topic Trinity! It’s our nations history 🇺🇸 and we should be able to talk freely about the good, the bad and the ugly. In my opinion this subject cannot be fully understood without considering the prior four years of the Civil war. Sadly 620,000 died in that bloody war and the country was torn apart and fractured for decades after this. (Some say until northerners and southerners fought side by side in the trenches of Europe in WW1) The Union Generals had successfully recaptured the southern states that had succeeded and surrendered. These same generals went on to became the President and the commanders of the “Indian wars” and they turned west. The victorious northern Union government was driving the bus. The Indian nations stood in the way of “opening the west” (to reunite the fractured country) The proven way to eradicate the nations was to remove their supply chain, the same way it had worked in the confederate states by destroying their rail lines, burning Atlanta and marching to the sea. Yes, It may be a conspiracy but it’s also true that history is written by the victors of war. Historical narratives tend to make everyone squeaky clean, especially the government. Charles Goodnight was a confederate soldier, later Mary Ann Dyer "Molly" Goodnight, his wife is the one who caught and raised orphaned buffalo calves and helped to save them from extinction.

[@joekraynik3602]

Hey Trinity! What’s the brand of your shirt? The darker one. Great video!!

[@paulhuval]

Very educational thanks for sharing 👍

[@nerolsalguod4649]

While working on the Johnson ranch on the black feet res in Browning MT I had a chance to visit the bison operation there. They are incredible animals . Saw a tractor that a bull destroyed. Great vid, thankyou

[@raydowdy6914]

I remember reading were the wagon trails would have to wait 3 days for all the Buffalo to cross their wagon trail.

[@gentlegiants1974]

Human greed and the love of money... From an Ontario farmer to a western rancher - all the best this winter. It snowed here last night, first snow for 2023.

[@Mike-xi4zt]

So what caused the stepp bison to go extinct and The Woolly rhino and the woolly mammoth and the Mastodon. Human greed??????

[@liamrooney5314]

Excellent video. I appreciate your honest and thorough assessment of the historical background to the near-eradication of the buffalo. That situation reminds me a bit of the discovery of gold in the Black Hills (and probably earlier in California) and how frenzy of fortune hunters created a displacement of the Indian tribes in those regions AND THEN the government reactively supported the new "reality."

[@slopsec2358]

Great video, thank you.

[@terryes1872]

Thank you, I never could really understood the buffalo/bison situation. It is interesting that, here in Australia, we have an almost opposite situation with kangaroos.

[@Mike-xi4zt]

Kangaroos are marsupial Buffalo aren't they.

[@terryes1872]

@@Mike-xi4ztDon't know if that is a question, but. Kangaroos are abundant, yet we are not, by law, allowed to make proper use of them. Most roos are shot and left to rot, a few, big bucks mostly, are used for pet food and in limited amounts human consumption.

[@Mike-xi4zt]

@@terryes1872 there are marsupial equivalents to placental birth animals. The sugar glider is a marsupial and is the equivalent of a placental birth flying squirrel. There are many examples of equivalent marsupials to the equivalent placental birth animals. Nature has a way of filling the same requirements to survive with a different way of birthing. Kangaroo are marsupial equivalent to placental birth deer species. At some point in time there was probably a buffalo sized kangaroo that was the marsupial equivalent of placental birth American bison.

[@isaiahfronning5157]

Slight correction. Most of the cattle in the Dakotas and Montana came from the big cattle states in the Midwest like Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin (see “Cattle Raising on the Plains of North America”). Y’all forget how many cowboys live in the Midwest. Minnesota has nearly twice as many cattle than Wyoming and about 20,00 more than Montana.

[@jimba6486]

Makes sense. Given Montana's drought. I expect a place with plenty of lakes to have more life supported. Thank you for the insight

[@maggietaskila8606]

Teddy Roosevelt's Elk Horn Ranch was in North Dakota , North of the town Medora. Another player / visionary was the Marquis De Mores . The Marquis sat up, a slaughter plant in Madora he then packed the beef on refrigerated train cars ,to the market in the Eastern population centers . He failed because he was ahead of his time . Refrigeration was cars packed with ice , which became a problem on such a scale. The trains schedules were not entirely dependable , which lead to loss. I could go on with this story , but the end is, neither man continued operations ranching and our meat supplies have always been a gamble , and a challenge. Politics pays better.

[@donweitzel9732]

I live near Greeley, and at the library there read a book that stated ,when the farmers came West, they had to clear the land of bones. It said 12 boxcars of buffalo bones would leave there heading East, to make fertilizer.

[@donweitzel9732]

Each Week

[@conidaniels990]

Hello your stories are great. Love learning. I would like if you know how many Buffalo ranchs that are in montana alone. There must be a good no. Of them. Think there are aleast 3 south of darby ? Not sure. It would be nice to know. Thank you for letting me talk well text.

[@danstroud9810]

What is interesting is the grazing intensity then has affected the entire system. It was probably also what led to mule deer irruptions (population increases) not long after grazing started to subside.

[@staceylott6676]

Auto spell got me lol love your content

[@devildawgpryde4764]

I grew up in Garden City Ks. 50 miles west of Ol infamous Dodge City. Founded in 1878 and promoted by the famous CJ "Buffalo" Jones, right in the middle of the Great Plains. Land where the Buffalo reigned. They are the mascot of our high school. We have a buffalo refuge, which gave off some of its herd to Yellowstone to bring their herd back there. If I had the money, I'd invest it into bringing back the Great American Buffalo herd. 60 million cattle these days on just the Great Plains and maybe 500,000 buffalo throughout the entire country. Plenty of room for growth and a resurgence of the Great Herd. Great video.

[@kimlizotte694]

Hello from Cheyenne, WY! I'm a transplant from androscoggin county Maine, I farmed & ranched in Nebraska before coming out to Wyoming. I live just a handful of miles from Terry bison ranch which is on the Wyoming Colorado border and I spent a lot of time in Thermopolis Wyoming and there's a 10 mi preserve just for buffalo. The Buffalo that's nearby where I live are the largest in size and height in all of the United states. And from what I understand Buffalo or about 2 to 3 ft shorter than what they were 200 years ago. The hunters picked off all the big buffalo and left the puny once behind and that's the gene pool we have today.

[@johnschroeder7528]

Trinity, you should read the book: Blackfeet and Buffalo by James Willard Schultz, and for that matter. Any of the other writing by Schultz. He was adopted into the tribe at a young age and learned their language.

[@SudhiYadav-np1fz]

Hi sir most interesting your Vedios im indian ❤

[@ScottRockholm]

Thanks!

[@fljetgator1833]

This is one of your best videos IMO. And specifically 10:55 - 11:16 . Enjoying the coffee.. AND .. I thought I was the only one who used that 'other' drink added to the cup! 😎🐊

[@lloydgood9836]

Here are a few massive factors to accommodate. The population of the Americas was approximately 100 million prior to 1492. At that time the population of the Earth was 500 million. Within 100 years most of those people were gone = 20% of the globe. The entirety of North and South America had been managed agriculturally by advanced civilizations. The buffalo were a managed herd. It is quite possible the number of Buffalo surged to 60 million as a result of not being harvested for 150 years. The sustainable number may have been mush less. The remaining 4.5 million buffalo in the Northwest died of disease following the first famous cattle drive from Texas up into Montana through the Bozeman trail. None of those buffalo were skinned or had their tongues removed. The plain resembled a vast pumpkin patch of giant hairy buffalo carcasses as far as the eye could see. History is always changing

[@terricollins8450]

What a lovely chap

[@user-ng2op2ix8z]

Those Hornaday Buffalo were at the Smithsonian, but now are in the Ag museum in Fort Benton, MT. Apparently the buffalo nickel was designed with the big bull as model.

[@jeandaliajr]

Look up the history of the town Wibaux, ND

[@junkieluv5326]

Didn't think I was going to get a history lesson when I clicked on your video but I was pleasantly surprised!! *Have you ever thought about becoming a history teacher??...You would definitely make an excellent teacher!!

[@garyhammond2213]

I'm wondering where you are? Eastern Montana?

[@01Lenda]

Great video! It was Molly Goodnight, with the help of Charles Goodnight (cattle herd trail blazer, former Texas Ranger think Lonesome Dove movie series), that saved 2 or 3 calves, of the last Southern Buffalo herd. That is where the herd, in Caprock Canyon (West Texas) currently are. They have distinctly seperate DNA, than the Northern herd. There is a small town, west Texas, called Goodnight. Charles and Molly's old homestead is there, open as a museum. Sometimes, they have a few buffalo there, at the small store, the museum operates. Charles Goodnight is buried nearby, and his gravesite is maintained, by the Texas Rangers. Sorry so much, i have just been studying history of Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving (my ancestors, worked with them). Stay Blessed! 💙🌿

[@LCNWA]

Don't you think some people just have be top of the competition - no matter how abserd it is? My grd father had coffee pot just like the one you took on your ride! Well Done!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

If the Cows are downwind then they can smell you .. I didn't know that Buffalo had a Keene sense of smell ?

[@EagleArrow]

Buffalos roamed from NY State down to GA as well. We learned in school in the 70s, the buffalo were killed to destroy the Indian food supply, products and to make room for towns and cities. I remember how sad I was that day.

[@junesecrist6719]

Interestingly ,buffalo hide was used for English stirrup leathers

[@clayed3311]

Before the hide hunters, the buffalo herd was abnormal large. The herd was allowed to grow due to disease that reduced the number of Indians. Had the hide hunt not occurred many buffalo would have died in the winter of 1886 because of the extremely large heard.

[@TiaraPoodles]

Thank you.

[@tomfeist208]

You could check out books by Andy Russel of Alberta Canada who wrote about how the buffalo were slaughtered in US and Canada. As well as hides bones were gathered up by the train car load and shipped to Europe for fertilizer. I have read all three of his books. In northern Alberta near Peace River we came across pastures of 2-3 thousand buffalo a few years back.

[@myfathersson7851]

Expanding america west was inevitable , the way it happend was unconscionable. ( last of the dog men)

[@jeandaliajr]

For your next History video, Passenger Pigeon

[@radroofer]

Thank you for this history that isn't His story

[@jackbootsman5672]

You should investigate the Elk Island Buffalo park, Alberta, formerly Wainwright, aAberta.

[@stephaniechavez9422]

before i watch trinity i say the buffalo were eliminated due to greed from rich men, the government, and to 'rid us of the indians.' now i want to see what you have to say to see how wrong i am.

[@LifeintheWest]

Too bad you are most likely correct. 😬

[@carlshakespear7345]

Overgrazing is more a problem of extended period of use than numbers of grazers . Buffalo were migratory and unrestricted by fences so they did not stay in a small area long enough to kill the forage like cattle kept fenced in a pasture and not moved enough to let the vegetation regenerate. For more information google regenerative grazing.

[@johnsmith-xr6qy]

Always watch your horses ears. He/she smells, hears or sees before you. Your horse is looking for a predator, self preservation guides & protects the horse .... and the rider.

[@baronj4210]

Did you speak of sick buffalo from Yellowstone that nobody wants? Big problem for the farmers around Yellowstone. Maybe you spoke about it and I missed it

[@abbasssibatra8682]

👍

[@bluewater454]

How can cattle “overgraze” when there used to be millions of buffalo doing the exact same thing before them?

[@user-lj3bq3yh8m]

See also Ken Burns DVD: The American Buffalo for a more in-depth look at this topic

[@badgerpa9]

If less than a million cows can destroy the world from CO2 the people that wiped out 50 million bison should be given an award Posthumously for they had to have saved the world from CO2. .Because CO2 is less than .04% of the air we breath if that 50 million had lived can you imagine the CO2 levels we would have? Since plants use CO2 to grow it would be dangerous to have plants grow better and we wouldn't want to risk that.

[@darrellblanchard2362]

I figure getting rid of the buffalo helped "tame" the plains tribes. They made a market for the hides. You can argue that's not true but is it?