Indiana Buffalo (Bison) Series
Historically, American bison (commonly, but incorrectly, called "buffalo") were found throughout Indiana and were an integral part of the Indiana grassland landscape. Bison thrived in Indiana and across the American planes for tens of thousands of years, but were hunted to near extinction by Europeans in just a couple hundred years. The early European pioneers heavily hunted bison. It was so important a food source for them that the bison was placed on the Great Seal of the State of Indiana when Indiana became a State in 1816 which seal is still used by the Indiana government today. The last wild bison in Indiana was shot in Orange County, Indiana, in 1830.
Bison are North America's largest land mammal. They are massive mammals. The males, or bulls, can be six feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 2000 pounds. Females, or cows, are roughly five feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 1200 pounds. Despite their size, they can run 35 miles per hour. On average, bison live 15 to 20 years. Females typically give birth to one calf per year. Calves are reddish brown in color and are affectionately called “cinnamons”.
In recent years, bison have been reintroduced to Indiana, both as a farm animal and also as small, wild herds.
The photo for the first in this postcard series was taken in October 2021 in Northwest Indiana, just west of Valparaiso in Porter County, Indiana.
Additional information can be found here:
Hoosier national Forest - Buffalo Trace