Salute the cultural heritage of Fort Worth’s bison herd on Nov. 1

Salute the cultural heritage of Fort Worth's bison herd on Nov. 1

Published on October 27, 2025

You see them everywhere - on coins, on sports team logos and a couple of state flags. No, we're not talking about the bald eagle. This honor is reserved for the American bison.

The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge will observe National Bison Day on Saturday, Nov. 1, with activities centered around the bison herd that calls Fort Worth home. Some of the fun and educational events:

• Bison Pasture Hike, 9-10 a.m. Join a hike through a bison pasture and look for signs of the animals.
• Bison Artifacts, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop in the Hardwicke Interpretive Center and meet Albert from Log Cabin Village to learn how our ancestors used bison.
• Bison Meet and Greet, 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. Learn about the herd and lend a hand as staff feeds them.
• Behind the Fences, 2 p.m. See what goes on in the bison pasture and how staff members manage the bison.

Register for these programs online. General admission is not included in the cost of the program.

About Fort Worth's bison herd

The bison herd at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge is owned and managed by the Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge in close partnership with Refuge biologists.

Watch: View a brief video about the herd:

The herd was established in 1973 with two cows and one bull from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The first calf was born in 1974. According to City records, this was one of the first municipal-owned bison herds in Texas (the herd was initially owned by the City), predating even the Fort Worth Stockyards longhorn herd and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's ownership of the Goodnight herd (1980s).

Today, the herd consists of 11 cows, one bull and four calves, for a total of 16 animals. Herd size naturally fluctuates in response to environmental conditions and pasture capacity, supporting the Refuge's prairie management objectives.

Each November, staff conduct an annual roundup for veterinary checks, vaccinations and health monitoring. The bison rotate among six pastures as part of a sustainable grazing plan that mimics natural prairie disturbance cycles. Genetic integrity is carefully managed to ensure the herd remains as pure bison as possible, free from cattle hybridization.

Private donations continue to expand available pastureland, allowing both herd growth and greater visitor access. The newest, Oak Motte Pasture, opening later this year, was funded by the Friends through contributions from Mercedes-Benz, the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation, Menzies Aviation and an individual donor. This addition enhances public viewing opportunities from the nearby Oak Motte Overlook.

The Fort Worth bison herd serves as an ambassador for conservation, illustrating the ecological role of bison as a keystone species in maintaining healthy grasslands. Staff members collaborate with the Texas Bison Association and National Bison Association to promote awareness and education about bison conservation nationwide.

National Bison Day is an annual celebration in the United States of the significance of the American bison. A campaign is underway to pass federal legislation officially recognizing the first Saturday of each November as National Bison Day.

Photos: The bison herd at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge serves as a living symbol of the region's natural and cultural heritage. (Photos and video courtesy of K.P. Wilska.)

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