Bison, also called buffalo, are North America’s largest native land mammal. Once numbering an estimated 70 to 150 million across the Great Plains, they lived in herds of 50 to 10,000 or more, moved continually, and were well adapted to harsh winters by brushing away snow with their heads to reach forage. They were historically important to American Indians, who relied on them for food, shelter, and clothing while following the roaming herds through the prairie. As westward expansion brought frontiersmen and fur traders to the Great Plains, hunting for food and hides increased, and by the late 1870s growing competition among American Indians, fur traders, and settlers had reduced the bison population to 350, bringing them to the brink of extinction. After the Civil War and the onset of the railroads, cattle ranchers moved north from Texas, and by 1880 cattle barons had settled the Great Plains and grazed herds on the open range. The drought of 1883, the market crash of 1884-1885, and the blizzards of 1885-1888 drove the large ranchers out of business, while windmills and barbed wire made smaller ranches possible, and by 1900 the range was fenced to separate individual herds. Cattle ranches remain an important part of Great Plains history, economy, and lifestyle. Bison and cattle graze differently: bison can survive on less and poorer-quality forage and eat a wider variety of grasses, forbs, and shrubs, while cattle seek higher-quality forage. The Grand River Ranger District manages the land by controlling the timing, duration, and intensity of livestock grazing to support a diverse and healthy blend of vigorous mixed-grass and short-grass communities.