Commonly called buffalo, bison lived throughout Iowa, with the largest groups roaming the northwest and north central parts of the state. Bare Bison is helping once-native bison make a comeback in Iowa. Another way bison shape the prairie is by moving seeds from one place to another. DeCook Bison Ranch. Our heritage dates back to 1854 when my great, great grandparents settled in a sod house just over the hill from our store. The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue … Bare Bison has a large event rental facility and offers tours of their ranch. Thanks to the work of conservationists, the National Park Service and private land owners, bison herds are growing nationwide, increasing from just 1,000 in 1890 to more than 500,000 today. You can buy bison meat from our small farm store on the ranch, and we offer tours to the public by appointment.
Also, the National Bison Association offers a Bison online training that is free to all NBA members to participate in. As settlement moved west, bison numbers fell as Iowa’s new residents hunted the animal for its plentiful meat and its useful hide. We also sell purebred Hereford bulls and heifers .
The National Bison Legacy Act was signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama in May 2016, making bison the USA's national mammal. They also sell bison meat at the ranch and online. The introductory training allows students to work through various modules to learn the history of the animal and industry, some basics about bison management, and information on mitigating risk in the bison business.
We strive to restore the ecological integrity of southern Iowa, while producing organic grass-fed bison on this working landscape. The ranch has nearly 300 head of Plains and Woods bison on their 350-acre ranch in Van Meter. As bison roam around, they carry seeds with them both in their stomachs and in their hair. This helps plants move throughout the prairie ecosystem, and sometimes provides them with fertilizer to help them sprout. 449 likes. By the 1860s, bison sightings had become rare in the state. Bare Bison is along the new Covered Bridges Scenic Byway and just 20-25 minutes from Des Moines.