
Colville Tribe Harvests First Bison In Their History
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation marked a first in their history this week when they harvested a bison on their reservation lands near the Ferry and Okanogan County line.
The Tuesday harvest comes roughly 15 months after the first of two groups of bison amounting to a total of 43 of the animals was gifted to the Colvilles by the Kalispell Tribes.
In a social media post, a spokesperson for the Colvilles said of the harvest, "We are deeply grateful to have these amazing animals on our lands, providing for our community in such a meaningful way."

The Colville Tribes' Department of Fish & Wildlife says the harvest marked the first of five which are planned for this year.
Meat from the harvested bison will be used in a number of tribal ceremonies, including funerals and community gatherings such as powwows.
Many of the bison gifted to the Colville's are roaming an expansive area between Buffalo Lake and Keller Ridge.
Most the herd is comprised of females with a few bulls and calves, and the Colville's haven't said if the herd has successfully reproduced yet.
Assuming no new calves have been born to the herd since their donation, this week's harvest would reduce the number of bison on the Colville's land to 42.
A Gallery Of High Planes Wyoming Winter Bison
Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods