Bison disappeared from the Slave River Lowlands during the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, during the 1940s, they recolonized in the area where they thrived for a time on the lush meadows. Two herds of bison established in the area, the Little Buffalo herd on the west side of the Slave River and the Hook Lake herd on the east side. Both herds thrived initially and by 1971, the Hook Lake herd numbered 1700 bison. As a result of poor calf recruitment and high mortality due to disease, predation and hunting, the Hook Lake herd had declined to about 200 animals by 1991. A February 2000 survey counted 283 bison in the Hook Lake herd and 235 in the Little Buffalo herd. This same survey counted a total of 518 bison in the entire lowlands, which is consistent with the documentation that bison from these two herds cross the frozen Slave River causing herd numbers to fluctuate.

The Hook Lake and Little Buffalo herds are located in the area between Great Slave Lake and the NWT-Alberta border (see map). Both herds are infected with bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis and exist at low numbers, even though the habitat could support many more bison.

Economic Use

High harvest levels are one of the causes of population declines in the Slave River Lowlands and in particular, the Hook Lake area. Resident hunting of the Hook Lake herd began in 1955. Between 1969 and 1977 an average of 123 bison were harvested each year. From 1969 to 1974, a licensed outfitter, offering trophy hunts in the Hook Lake area, also took an average of 179 bison each year. In addition, subsistence hunters harvested the herd without restriction.