Calving Season: Our Mission in Action
Calving season is one of the most important and symbolic times of year for Buffalo herds and for the communities working to restore them. As the bright “red dog” calves arrive each spring, they mark not just the end of winter, but the renewal of life, resilience, and hope across Native lands.
For the Lakota people, the tribal affiliation of our founding staff, calving season carries deep spiritual meaning. New life among the Buffalo is a living reminder that when the Buffalo thrive, the people thrive — and that restoration is about more than numbers. It's about healing generations of connection between the land, the people, and our sacred relatives.
Through partnerships like The Nature Conservancy (TNC), we’ve been able to help our rancher partners grow their herds and continue this new life and connection. Just this month, a Buffalo from TNC that was donated to Dave and Patra Wise of Dancing Crane Ranch on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Sawyer, MN, gave birth to a new calf — a living testament to this work in action.
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Our Rancher Partners: Gail Uses The Knife
In Thunder Butte, South Dakota, Gail Uses The Knife is restoring Buffalo to her homelands with purpose and pride. A Lakota woman from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Gail has been raising cattle for six years and recently stepped into Buffalo stewardship. This is the first time in 200 years that Buffalo have lived on her land. With a current herd of 13 weanlings, she’s balancing ranching, family, and a career in healthcare — all while carrying forward traditions rooted in culture, resilience, and ecological care.
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Executive Director Dawn Sherman on “Our Living Lands” Podcast
Executive Director Dawn Sherman (Lakota/Shawnee/Delaware) recently took our mission to a national audience on the “Our Living Lands” podcast. In conversation with producer Daniel Spaulding, Dawn underscored why returning Buffalo is inseparable from cultural renewal:
“By returning the Buffalo, you revitalize the culture,” Dawn said. “We’re stewards for the voiceless, giving the Buffalo their voice.”
Her interview highlighted Tanka Fund’s Indigenous-led approach and the spiritual, ecological, and economic stakes of Buffalo rematriation.
Listen here
Tanka Impact Podcast: Buffalo Back Home
Join us as we journey to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation where Ron Brownotter, a Lakota-Yanktonai rancher, oversees North America’s largest Native-owned Buffalo herd. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Tanka Fund Board President, Ron cares for 600 animals across 20,000 acres of ancestral prairie. His work is a testament to decolonization, cultural renewal, and ecological stewardship.
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Highlights from the North American Bison Summit
Earlier this month, our team and several rancher partners attended the North American Bison Summit (NABS), a leading gathering on Buffalo, grasslands, and family-led stewardship. The summit focused on “A New Chapter for Grasslands Conservation & the Rural Way of Life” and brought together over 30 partners from across North America.
Our COO Arnell Abold shared Tanka Fund updates during a roundtable, while rancher partner and board member Wayne Frederick also spoke. Facilitated by the Wildlife Restoration Foundation (WRF), the summit highlighted replicable models for sustaining grasslands and Buffalo herds.
Story and photos
Indigenous Environmental Stewardship Gathering
Executive Director Dawn Sherman joined the Alliance for Indigenous Environmental Stewardship (AIES) Summit in Suquamish, WA. Hosted on Suquamish land, the summit focused on relationship-building and collaborative leadership among Indigenous environmental stewards.
Dawn shared that the gathering deepened connections to why we do what we do — for the land, animals, and ancestral community.
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Funder Spotlight: Bush Foundation
The Bush Foundation has played a vital role in Tanka Fund’s mission to return Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies. With a Community Innovation grant awarded in 2021, this partnership has expanded our ability to support Native ranchers through grants, training, and infrastructure.
By backing Indigenous-led solutions, the Bush Foundation helps address wealth gaps and promote long-term Native land stewardship, economic opportunity, and food sovereignty.
Earth Month Belongs to Buffalo
Earth Month is a time to recommit to protecting what sustains us — land, water, animals, and the communities that care for them. Buffalo, a keystone species, shape and support ecosystems critical to soil health, water retention, and biodiversity.
Buffalo help restore ecological balance — making the land more resilient for all life.
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What’s Next
We’re already planning the 2025 spring transfers and expanding our grant program to reach even more Native producers. Your partnership powers this work.
Support the next wave of Buffalo returns:
Donate at Tanka Fund
Or email info@tankafund.org to learn more.
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