The American bison is an iconic symbol of the West with its rugged, primitive build, primeval wooly hide and cartoon-character appearance. Monumental and shaggy, its seeming passivity and lumbering gait belie speed, agility, and a fierce protectiveness that can land unsuspecting tourists in the hospital.

Longtime collaborators Audrey Hall and Chase Reynolds Ewald have been following in the hoofprints of bison since their first childhood visits to Yellowstone National Park. Their book Bison: Portrait of an Icon celebrates the species through Hall’s photography and Ewald’s words. 

Montana-based photographer Hall worked for years to capture her images, traveling the West in all conditions. Ewald spoke to ranchers, native herd managers, policy makers, and leaders in conservation and land management, such as Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, and the Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Kirk Johnson.

Join them as the pair share their tales and their journey, offering a visual tour of the mountains and plains and touching down in spectacular and often-hidden locations throughout the mountain states. They cover the highlights of the bison story: its history, cultural significance, near decimation and remarkable comeback; introduce some memorable characters; and share some surprising tidbits about these all-American beasts.

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