You will see a “pet” herd on many reservations. But trying to put buffalo back on the prairie can’t and won’t happen. You would have to eradicate the cattle ranches, and that can’t and won’t happen either. The Buffalo Commons Movement and this boob tube prairie re-wilding scheme with grizzlies, wolves and buffalo is a pipe dream!
Most of the Tribes moved to cattle ranching and farming. They had to, to survive. Clarence Mortensen was a tribal member, he never had nor did he ever want to have bison on his property. If there are federal BLM and NFS land managers that don’t already use the Mortensen Principles, then they should.
Like I said I haven’t heard of any sizable buffalo herds on any reservations beyond Rosebud. Rosebud has tried to maintain a herd for over 40 years now. Back in the 80s Catalina island in California sold some bison to Rosebud that were supposed to be genetically viable. Those bison were so inbred and riddled with disease that they had to be destroyed. American Prairie did give Rosebud some buffalo been a number of years ago. I don’t remember how many or when exactly. If I remember correctly, those bison originally came from Canada.