Bison, often incorrectly called buffalo, currently exist in Texas, though their presence is far removed from the massive herds that once dominated the landscape. The story of this large mammal in the state is a narrative of near-total extermination followed by concentrated conservation efforts. While the species was nearly wiped out by the late 19th century, today it survives in managed public and private herds across Texas. Understanding their current status requires looking at both their historical decline and the efforts that have brought them back from the brink.
The Near Eradication of Texas Herds
The plains of Texas were once home to the Southern Herd, a vast population of American bison across the Llano Estacado and High Plains. Early Spanish explorers documented the immense number of these animals, describing them as being as numerous as “fish in the sea.” This abundance was dismantled during the 1870s, a period often referred to as the “great slaughter.”
The rapid decline was fueled by a growing market for bison hides and bones, coupled with the westward expansion of railroads. Railroads allowed for the easy transport of commercial hunters and their kill. Hunters, often utilizing advanced breech-loading rifles, could kill dozens or even hundreds of animals in a single day. The extermination was also supported by military leaders who viewed the removal of the bison as a strategic means to undermine the economic and cultural foundation of the Plains tribes, such as the Comanche and Kiowa, forcing them onto reservations.
Systematic commercial hunting decimated the Southern Herd in a matter of years. By 1878, the southern population was practically exterminated, and the organized hide trade in Texas had ceased. Across the continent, the population of American bison plummeted from an estimated 30 million in the early 1800s to fewer than 1,000 animals by the 1890s, nearly vanishing from the wild landscape.
Clarifying the Species: Bison vs. Buffalo
The use of the name “buffalo” in the context of Texas and North America is a persistent misnomer that dates back to early European settlers. Scientifically, the animal that roams the American plains is the American Bison. This species is distinct from the two true buffalo species: the African Cape Buffalo and the Asian Water Buffalo.
Both bison and true buffalo belong to the Bovidae family, but they are found on different continents and possess clear physical differences. The American Bison is easily recognizable by the massive hump over its shoulders, a large head, and a thick, shaggy coat that includes a distinctive beard. True buffalo species, such as the Cape Buffalo, lack this prominent shoulder hump and have smoother coats and much larger, more sweeping horns.
The common American use of the term “buffalo” is believed to have originated with French fur trappers in the 17th century, who may have used the term bœuf, meaning beef or ox, which later evolved into “buffalo.” While the scientific name is clear, the cultural and vernacular term persists.
The Managed Herds of Modern Texas
The survival of the bison in Texas is tied to the intervention of a few private citizens who acted to save the species from extinction. In 1878, Texas rancher Charles Goodnight, at the urging of his wife, Mary Ann, captured several orphaned calves from the diminishing Southern Herd. This small group of animals became the nucleus of the Goodnight Herd on the JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle.
The descendants of this herd are genetically unique, representing the last remaining examples of the Southern Plains bison variety, a lineage preserved for over a century. This herd was eventually donated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and moved to Caprock Canyons State Park in 1997. The Texas Legislature later designated this group as the Official State Bison Herd of Texas.
Today, the state herd at Caprock Canyons is managed for conservation, focusing on maintaining its genetic integrity and re-establishing the bison as a keystone species within the park’s ecosystem. These bison now roam freely across thousands of acres, allowing visitors to see the animals in their native range. Beyond the state-managed population, the species is also preserved through a network of private ranches and non-profit conservation groups across Texas.
The total number of bison in North America has rebounded significantly, with over 400,000 animals existing today, though the majority are in commercial herds managed for livestock purposes. A growing number of Indigenous ranchers and conservationists are working to restore genetically pure, conservation-focused bison herds to tribal and private lands across the state. These efforts aim to restore the animal’s cultural significance and ecological role.