I'll focus on the Plains bisons as that's the subspecies that would have crossed the Manitoba prairies, but you likely heard that the bison was nearly wiped out by the late-1800s due to over-hunting and unnecessary slaughter. It has been estimated that there were 30-60 million bisons who roamed this land at one point, but there were no free-roaming herds left by 1888 in Canada.
You likely learned in a history class about how important the bison were when it came to the settling of the west as explorers pushed east. What is often forgotten is that the bison played a central role in the lives of the Indigenous Peoples who lived in western Canada. Bison were vital not only for food for the Indigenous Peoples who called the Canadian prairies home, but the entire body was used out of respect for the animal as well as having the Indigenous Peoples honour them through their cultures and beliefs.
The decimation of the herds of bisons across the prairies was due to new tanning methods that allowed the hide of the buffalo to be tanned by machines, upping the need for more hides in order to meet demand for production of things like belts and gloves. Hunters would often kill the bison sinply for their hides, leaving the carcass behind. In order to up their haul and make more money, these hunters would often poison the carcass in order to kill the wolves that would feed on the bison as wolf pelts were in-demand as well. Needless to say, wolf populations also plummeted during this time.
In 1880, Colonel Samuel Bedson, Warden of Stony Mountain Penitentiary, bought a growing herd from Charlie Alloway and James McKay in central Manitoba, and relocated that herd to where modern north Winnipeg currently sits, just south of the Stony Mountain town. By 1888, the small herd had grown in size to over 100 individuals, and Bedson needed to reduce the herd as the city of Winnipeg grew.
Some of his herd ended up in zoos. Others went to Banff National Park to establish a growing population in Alberta. A number of bison went south to Kansas, sold to C.J. "Buffalo" Jones who would eventually become the first game warden of Yellowstone National Park as he established a herd in Kansas. Bedson would move on from bison in 1884, selling his modest herd of 13 bison to Charles Allaire and Michel Pablo, a pair of Metis ranchers, who moved the herd to Montana and grew the herd to 800 individuals by 1905.
In 1907, the Canadian government purchased a 716 bison from Allaire and Pablo for $150,000 who moved them to Elk Island National Park in Alberta. Today, this herd is one of the few genetically-pure plains bison herds in North America, and conservation groups often start new herds with bison who have descended from this made-in-Manitoba herd.
Traditionally hunted by the Cree, Assiniboine, Dakota, Dene, Inuit, Oji-Cree, Metis, and Anishinaabe alike in Manitoba, many Indigenous communities in this province revered the bison, recognizing the majestic creative as both a relative and one who gives its life for the survival of the people. Not only did the Indigenous communities hunt the bison for its meat, but they used the thick hides for clothing and shelter and its bones for tools. Each bison was honoured after a kill for the life it provided.
In this sense of community, the University of Manitoba adopted the bison for its historic impact on the province and for what it represented. From the University of Manitoba website,
"[T]he Bison gives its life so that others can survive – they give everything of themselves. A Bison does not operate alone but, rather, the entire herd works together as one. In the face of danger, a herd of Bison all turn together to unite against adversity, move in sync and defend their young or wounded. They are loyal and stick together. The Bison turns to face head first into the wind and stands firmly against a storm."All of that is true of the bison, and it seems very appropriate that the University of Manitoba would want their students anf student-athletes to work together, help one another, stay loyal to one another, and face adversity together to defeat the challenge as one.
On May 9, 2016, President Barack Obama named the bison as the national mammal of the United States. They are the largest land mammal in North America by weight and height, standing six-feet tall and male bison - bulls - weighing in at 2000 pounds. Baby bisons - calves - are often called "red dogs" due to the lighter colour of their fur with the darker, brown colour growing in over the summer as they prepare for their first winter. Bisons can run up to 35 mph, can swim, and are extremely agile for their size.
Manitoba Bisons are a little different, but we see some of the great track athletes reach speeds of 35 mph. We have incredible swimmers setting records nationally and being recognized for their amazing accomplishments. We've seen some incredible land mammals with Vanier Cup wins as the football program continues to make the university proud. While some rookies red-shirt, those "red dogs" turn into the next champions after learning from those who came before them.
I will proclaim here that November 6, 2021, assuming university sports has returned, will be National Bisons Day on our UMFM broadcasts for either men's or women's hockey depending on who plays at home that weekend. I'll have discussions with Bisons Sports about this, but it would be a great celebration to honour not only our athletes who make us proud, but the animal which the University of Manitoba has adopted and the Indigenous communities with whom we work and honour.
Happy National Bison Day, everyone!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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