One family’s herd, a nation’s future

After 25 years of caring for his Buffalo, Clifford Eugene Steeby made the decision to let them go to ensure their future. Over time, the physical demands of the work limited his ability to care for them. As a measure of preservation — not defeat — he chose to place the herd he had raised into the hands of a Native rancher whose life and livelihood are deeply tied to Buffalo.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said quietly. “It was meant to be this way.”

Through a connection between his daughter Susan and Tanka Fund, Clifford’s 14 Buffalo were transferred from his ranch in Missouri to Two Eagle Buffalo Ranch on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where Virgil Two Eagle Sr. continues a family tradition of respectful caretaking. When they arrived, Virgil took note that they were loved and clearly well cared for — a reflection of decades of stewardship.

“So, in turn, I am very honored to continue taking care of the little herd with respect,” he said.

Today, those Buffalo are part of a larger effort to rebuild herds, feed Native families, and strengthen Buffalo agriculture on Tribal lands. This is what Tanka Fund makes possible and what you support when you donate to our mission. When one chapter closes, the work continues with purpose.

“The Pte Oyate (Buffalo Nation) is a big part of who I am and who we are as Lakota people,” Virgil continued. “I always treat them with respect, honor, and dignity — just like our ancestors have done throughout time. I take care of them, they take care of me.”

Story and more photos:
https://www.tankafund.org/our-stories/xzsx8bt2ro2mt6oo4n6e3vo32b0kk9

More about Virgil Two Eagle Sr:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U99anIaA5ac

Support this work:
https://www.tankafund.org/donate

A Native perspective at NBA 2026

Restoring Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies requires navigating very different worldviews. To make progress, you have to be in the room.

That’s what Tanka Fund’s leadership team did alongside Native leaders at the National Bison Association Winter Conference in Broomfield, Colorado. Executive Director Dawn Sherman joined a panel focused on returning Buffalo to the land, highlighting Native ranchers and producers.

“It was entrepreneurs and that entrepreneurial thought, along with ranchers, that brought Buffalo back. It was not the government,” Dawn said. “It’s going to take that same mindset and all of us working together to continue to reach the Buffalo numbers we want.”

Dawn shared Tanka Fund’s mission and the real barriers Native producers face, including costs, land access, markets, and infrastructure, as well as the added layers of governance and regulation on Tribal lands that can slow restoration by years.

She emphasized that while many challenges are shared across the industry, Native ranchers carry an extra burden, and restoration cannot be measured by economics alone.

Through Buffalo restoration tied to nourishment, youth, and community health, Tanka Fund is helping ensure the next generation grows up with access to Buffalo and healthy food systems.

Story and more photos:
https://www.tankafund.org/our-stories/in-the-room-where-it-happened-nba-2026

Ally Focus: ANA

The Administration for Native Americans, through the Administration for Children and Families, focuses on strengthening Native communities through economic development, cultural preservation, and long-term self-sufficiency.

Tanka Fund supports Native Buffalo ranchers who are rebuilding herds on Tribal and Native lands in ways that restore food systems, create local economic opportunity, and reconnect communities with cultural lifeways tied to Buffalo. Like ANA, our work is rooted in community-driven solutions that build capacity from within rather than imposing outside models.

“ANA’s focus on self-sufficiency and community-driven development reflects what we see every day in Native Buffalo work,” said Dawn Sherman, Executive Director of Tanka Fund. “Native producers are rebuilding herds not only as an agricultural effort, but as a way to strengthen local economies, restore food systems, and carry forward cultural knowledge. Support that builds capacity within communities is what allows this work to endure.”

Through upcoming ANA opportunities, we hope to expand work that strengthens Native producer networks, increases access to training and technical assistance for Buffalo ranchers, and supports youth and community engagement around Native food systems and land stewardship. These investments help move Native communities toward greater economic resilience while reinforcing cultural knowledge and intergenerational learning.

ANA’s focus on community development and self-sufficiency reflects the same long view that guides Tanka Fund: healthy herds, healthy grasslands, and strong Native economies for generations to come.

Tanka Trivia

Last question:
True or false — Buffalo are social animals with roles like babysitters and elders.

Answer: True

This month’s question:
Buffalo are the largest land mammal in North America. How much can they weigh up to, and how tall can they get?

Think you know?
Email your answer to info@tankafund.org for a chance to win exclusive Tanka Fund merch:
marketing@tankafund.org?

🦬 Good luck, and thank you for supporting Buffalo restoration.

Support the return:
http://www.tankafund.org/donate