SigMT

SIGNATURE MONTANA | 47 e Bison Range spans nearly 19,000 acres, established in 1908 on reservation land by the federal government to continue the legacy of the bison in their natural habitat. One of the oldest wildlife refuges in the nation, it is now managed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). e bison is historically significant to native people who once used the buffalo in over a hundred different ways, including for food, shelter, clothing, tools, medicine, saddles, jewelry, and in tribal ceremonies. e near extinction of the bison makes it easier to understand the significance of the refuge. ere were once an estimated 300-600 million buffalo in North America until the "Great Slaughter" in the 1800s during the westward expansion of selers. Slaughter and disease caused the number to plummet to under 1,000 bison nationwide. In 1908, descendants of the free-ranging herd that once roamed here were brought home to the newly established National Bison Range. In 2022, the name was changed to Bison Range and restored to federal trust ownership for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Marked by rolling hills set against the spectacular Mission Range, the Bison Range is home to around 350 bison and various other wildlife and birds. Pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, black bear, mountain lion, coyote, meadowlarks, bluebirds, eagles, and hawks are some of the species you can find in the grasslands, wetlands, and forests throughout the refuge. Spring transforms the refuge, turning the once-dormant brown terrain vibrant with renewal. e air fills with the spirited songs of birds, a lively soundtrack to their quest for mates and domain. Fragrances of flowering shrubs and trees mingle with the fresh scent of rain-soaked earth. Each year, from April to mid-May, the refuge welcomes the birth of approximately 60-70 bison calves. ese rust-hued newborns, weighing about 50 pounds, display remarkable vigor, standing and walking almost immediately following their birth. Following closely behind, antelope calves make their entrance in mid-May, with deer and elk joining the new beginnings in early June. Access to the refuge also changes in late spring with the reopening of Red Sleep Drive (weather permiing) on Mother's Day weekend, which offers a 19-mile drive through the refuge. e gravel one-way road has a 10% grade and switchbacks with a gain of 2,000 vertical feet to the high point at 4,885 feet, offering great views of the Mission Valley, mountains, and bison. Visitors are asked to stay in their cars while observing wildlife, but the half-mile Bierroot Trail and one-mile High Point Trail offer a chance to get out and walk. ere is also a mile-long nature trail at the picnic area near Mission Creek and the quarter-mile Grassland Trail at the Visitor Center. Much of the access to the Bison Range is closed during winter hours, from November into May, but the Visitor Center remains open year-round with a museum and gi shop where you can also pay the admission fee. Visit their website for more information: bisonrange.org A herd of bison gathers in a ponded area on the Bison Range. A bison bull is viewed from a car tour along Red Sleep Drive that winds through the Bison Range.

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