Buffalo Crossing
Spring returns to Horse Butte, and the wild bison follow ancient paths out of Yellowstone, navigating roads, fences, and political threats. This article, featured in the Buffalo Field Campaign Newsletter (April 2025), documents their migration and the frontline efforts to protect the last genetically pure herd in the U.S. Through firsthand reporting, it captures how independent journalism can bear witness, hold power accountable, and stand up for the wild.
A herd of pregnant Buffalo finds spring grass and safety in the West Yellowstone neighborhood of Rainbow Point.
As the sun begins to break winter’s grip, the buffalo return. I’ve spent the last two weeks tracking their migration out of Yellowstone National Park, watching them follow ancient paths toward their birthing grounds on Horse Butte—an area just west of the park that bursts to life with the first warm days of spring. At Buffalo Field Campaign, our roles include tracking herd movement, documenting species as they return, and putting up bright orange signs that warn drivers, “Buffalo on Road,” to prevent collisions as herds cross the highways. We monitor their numbers daily, witnessing them defend their right to their traditional range. These wild bison, the last genetically pure herd in the U.S., are navigating not just snowmelt and thawing rivers but a gauntlet of fences, roads, and political obstacles. With federal environmental protections at risk and the Government of Montana pushing to cut herd numbers in half, the responsibility for change now rests with those who have the courage to stand up to institutions that refuse to challenge power structures to defend the buffalo. Journalism has long been a catalyst for change, and the Buffalo Field Campaign carries that spirit forward by using independent, on-the-ground documentation to expose the threats facing wild bison. Armed with cameras and notebooks, we record every hazing, capture, and death. These field reports and footage cut through official narratives to deliver unfiltered truth to the public. This kind of journalism is essential. It informs the public, holds power accountable, and amplifies voices often ignored by mainstream media. These reports are tools for justice and proof that voices raised together at the right time can change the course to a better future for the last wild buffalo. The work is sometimes heartbreaking, but it matters. Out in the field, we’re not just observing a moment in time—we’re part of the force driving it forward.
Internship Contributor
Stephanie Doshier
Wild Bison 2024-25 Field Season Internship
Internship Contributor
Stephanie Doshier
Wild Bison 2024-25 Field Season Internship