The first ceremonial bison hunt in Banff National Park has been completed under an Indigenous-led pilot project.
Parks Canada and the Indigenous Advisory Circle say three animals were harvested in a free-range hunt last year.
It was the first bison hunt on the land that now makes up Banff since before the park was established nearly 145 years ago.
Parks Canada reintroduced bison to a remote area of the national park in 2017 more than a century after they were hunted to near-extinction.
Get breaking National news
Indigenous communities and Parks Canada developed the hunting approach together after the herd grew from 16 to more than 130 animals within seven years.
Officials from Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda and Métis communities in southern Alberta say in a news release that the hunt was meaningful.
“Historically the Blackfoot have always hunted the mountains in Alberta, but our ability to continue hunt our ancestral lands has been limited due to modern day infringements,” said Samuel Crowfoot, a councillor with Siksika Nation east of Calgary.
- Saskatoon construction snarls commutes for USask students, hospital staff
- Carney says economic activity already spurring from investment summit
- Carney, Macron to meet as talks of stronger Canada-EU relationship ramp up
- Celine Dion returns to the stage after 6 years at Paris residency: ‘I missed this’
“Being able to hunt the same mountains, rivers and forests that our ancestors did allowed us to connect with them in a very special way.”
-
![]()
Banff bison will get more freedom in the future -
![]()
Banff bison reintroduction project sees 10 calves born -
![]()
10 bison calves born in Banff ‘doing really well’: Parks Canada -
![]()
‘It’s a huge milestone’: Bison calves born in Banff for first time in over a century -
![]()
Wild bison return to Banff National Park -
![]()
RAW: Bison reintroduced into Banff National Park -
![]()
Banff hosts conference with American Bison Society ahead of re-introduction of species
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.