Long summer days grow shorter at BFC headquarters on the shores of Lake Hebgen but most days still glow warm, bright and full of life. Morning frost will coat the sagebrush soon, the first signal that winter is coming. Yellowstones wildlife, healthy and active, grows strong on the fruits of the landscape.

The strongest bull buffalo of the imperiled central and northern herds emerge victorious from the rut, winning the right to pass their strength on to the next generation of the last wild buffalo. Future calves will need this fighting spirit of their ancestors to survive. Moms continue to look after the yearling calves, teaching the tools to evade predators, find food, and survive the long Yellowstone winter.

BFCs summer outreach and education comes to an end as September begins, and we celebrate all of the great things our team accomplished this summer. Thousands of Yellowstone National Park guests were educated about the grim reality of government mismanagement of the last wild buffalo herds. BFC volunteers and interns learned activism, policy, and public speaking skills to advocate for the buffalo to Yellowstones visitors and their home communities. We attended events as far away as Nevada to spread the word about threats to the Yellowstone herds to large and diverse audiences. We distributed our annual newsletters to businesses and people all over the Greater Yellowstone region, giving thousands the opportunity to learn and take action with BFC to protect wild buffalo. Simultaneously, we produced our 2022 and 25th Anniversary Wild Bison Calendars; a celebration of the majesty and might of wild free roaming buffalo! We also launched a strategic partnership with Buffalo Brew Coffee, a fair trade coffee roaster committed to our growing regenerative movement. Check out our calendars and Roam Free Roast on our website. We thank our staff, volunteers, and most of all our dedicated supporters who make summer outreach and education possible!

BFCs 4th of July float in West Yellowstone, Montana

Now, our team looks forward to winter. September is the time to cut, stack, and winterize BFC headquarters for our winter field season standing with the buffalo. We are hoping to get a new roof on our main lodge as well as re-mortar our front stone steps, an original feature of our historic lodge. The hard work of preparing firewood pays off every time we feel the warmth of the stove after a long day of patrols watching the sacred migration of the buffalo. There is still time to rsvp for our annual woodcut weekend, September 10-12. Food and lodging is provided to all who attend. Email Mike (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to rsvp!

Mike diligently oversees stacking of timber

After a year and a half without volunteers due to the covid-19 pandemic, we are cautiously optimistic and hopeful to fully reopen our winter field season volunteer program from November to the end of May. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the campaign, each new volunteer brings new passion, ideas, and talents to protect the last wild buffalo. Field season volunteers conduct daily patrols on the boundary of Yellowstone National Park, acting as watchdogs, protectors, and advocates for the Yellowstone buffalo herds as they follow their ancestral migration paths. All adventurous spirits are welcome to apply! If you are interested in volunteering this winter or have family or friends who can volunteer visit our volunteering webpage or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..