Bison by the Numbers

Data & Statistics

192,477: Number of bison in the United States residing on private ranches and farms according to the 2022 USDA census.

1,986: Number of private U.S. ranches and farms raising bison according to the 2022 USDA census.

149,539: Canadian private-bison herd size according to 2021 Canadian Census of Ag.

13,000: Canadian publicly managed bison according to 2020 Canadian Parks

11,000: Approximate number of bison in US federal herds (DOI 2020)

10,000: Bison in State and other Public herds (USFWS 2022)

30,000: Estimated bison on tribal lands (US and Canada)

400,000: Estimated herd size in North America today.

30 – 60 Million: Estimated North American herd size prior to 1900.

Less than 1,000: Estimated number of bison prior to 1900 before efforts were made to preserve and restore the species.

80,000: Approximate number of bison harvested in the U.S. in 2023. (By contrast US Beef slaughters about 125,000/day).

74,849: 2023 U.S. bison harvest under federal inspection. State-inspected slaughter adds approximately 20% to the total number of bison harvested in the U.S. in 2023.

27,470 – harvest-ready Canadian bison imported to the U.S. in 2023

11,700 – Canadian feeder bison imported to the U.S. in 2023

270-285: gestation period in days for a bison cow.

40-50 pounds: approximate weight of a new born calf.

20 years: average reproductive life span of the average bison cow.

22 – 30 months: age of a mature meat animal.

2.42: grams of fat in a 100 gram serving of cooked bison.

10.15: grams of fat in a 100 gram serving of cooked beef.