The latest news from Ron & T of The Buffalo Wool Co. at RATH Ranch. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

Happy Bison Month and Happy Thursday

Hope you are having a great week, and we had a Google Glitch yesterday, and this didn't go out till 5pm or so... hopefully everything will work out this morning.

I have reached the end of the ones I had prewritten, so am back at the desk really early, getting this one together, and Dad is writing two more on some other friends. Still have quite a few stories to tell... this could take a lifetime or so.

I think you are gonna love the story today... really great guy, who dedicates a lot of his time helping other producers. Also gave the best informative speech I have heard at the Texas Bison Conference last year.

The recipe isn't bad either, how can you not love an excellent bison burger?

Hope you have a truly great day!

Ron & T, and the crew here at the BWC

DId get some good news yesterday, Native: Keystone was accepted into the London Vison and Amsterdam Film Festivals, Can't wait to see what awards it brings home. Hopefully will find out soon enough, so we can release the streaming and DVD's If you haven't checked it out yet, might want too.

It's so good. here is the site.

South Dakota State University has spent 200 years researching roaming buffalo.

....This year, they’re celebrating their bison-tennial.

How are bison managed in a national park?

Join us for our next Critter Chat Virtual Series presentation featuring Jimmy Holdgrafer from Theodore Roosevelt National Park!

July 17 3:00 PM CT Virtual Critter Chat

Jimmy will present “Bison Management at Theodore Roosevelt National Park,” offering a closer look at the work and considerations behind managing bison in one of North Dakota's most iconic landscapes.

Mark your calendar and join us!

https://bisoncenter.org/learn/critter-chat-virtual-series/ See less

From the Bison Discovery Center

The Bison Man from Kansas

In the wide-open country around Moundridge, Kansas, where the prairie still whispers of the herds that once covered the plains, Dick Gehring has spent more than thirty-five years walking alongside the American bison. It started in 1988 with a simple business observation. Gehring, a third-generation Mennonite farmer who also ran a meat locker, noticed that bison meat commanded a strong price but was hard to come by locally. He bought his first few animals, not out of romance, but because it made economic sense. What began as a practical decision quickly became something deeper. The bison, with their wild instincts and deep connection to the land, captured his respect.

Today, operating Black Kettle Buffalo with his son Reese, Gehring moves more than 1,500 bison a year—buying, raising, and selling breeding stock and meat animals. His herd is managed with a philosophy that sets him apart: work with the animals, not against them. Bison are not cattle. They remember they are wild.

Gehring designs handling systems that give them room to feel in control—wider alleys, group movement, minimal chasing. Stress, he knows, leads to health problems. Low-stress handling keeps the animals healthy and the rancher safer. He restored native grasses across his pastures—big bluestem, switchgrass, indiangrass—and practices rotational grazing that mimics how bison naturally moved across the prairie. The land responds. Soil improves. Wildlife returns. “God had this figured out a long time ago,” he often says. Trying to force bison into a domestic mold usually backfires.

Over the decades, Gehring became one of the bison industry’s most trusted voices. He served as president of the National Bison Association, chaired key committees, organized sales for the Kansas Buffalo Association, and was named the NBA’s 2022 Member of the Year. New producers across the country call him for advice. Many now sell their calves to him. He doesn’t just talk about good bison—he helps people raise them.

One of his greatest gifts is his eye for the animals themselves. He has spent years studying conformation, frame size, and body condition. He knows that the right size and conditioning determine everything: how well an animal breeds, how it handles, how much quality meat it produces, and how easily it fits into a working ranch.

Last year, Dick Gehring made the trip to Texas for a gathering of the Texas Bison Association. Ranchers from across the state came to hear him speak. What they got was something special. Truly the best talk on the difference between northern animals, and the southern herds... I was blown away. His talk on body conditioning and animal size was, by all accounts, the best of the day—and I still tell people about that talk frequently. Might have been the best I have heard. Attendees said it was the kind of talk that changed how they looked at their own animals. It wasn’t flashy. It was honest, experience-rich, and immediately useful. Several producers later said it was the single most valuable presentation they’d heard on evaluating bison.

Standing in front of the group, Gehring didn’t lecture from a textbook. He spoke from decades of walking among bison every day. He explained, in clear, practical terms, how to read body condition scores so producers could spot problems early—before breeding rates dropped or animals struggled through winter. He broke down the balance between frame size and market readiness: big enough to produce good meat, but not so large that they become hard to handle or expensive to maintain. He shared real examples from his own herd and from the many ranches he’d visited as a mentor and consultant.

Dick Gehring never set out to become a bison celebrity. He just wanted to raise good animals on good land and help others do the same. In doing so, he has become a quiet pillar of the modern bison industry—someone who still believes the best way to raise these magnificent creatures is to respect the instincts that have carried them across this continent for thousands of years.

He is also featured in Native: Prodigies of an Icon. Click here to see it

Check out Black Kettle Buffalo Ranch Here

Juicy Grilled Buffalo Burgers: Kansas Style

Discover how to grill the perfect Kansas Style Buffalo Burger. This recipe combines lean, juicy bison meat with tangy BBQ sauce for a healthy, flavor-packed twist on the classic American burger. Learn the secrets to keeping bison tender and moist.

Ingredients

Burger Patties

2 lbs Ground Buffalo (Bison) meat
1/2 cup Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce (plus extra for basting)
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 large Egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper

Serving

6 Hamburger Buns (Brioche or Sesame recommended)
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Red onion slices
Pickles
Cheese slices (Cheddar or Pepper Jack)
this recipe solves the biggest problem with lean game meat: dryness. By incorporating panko breadcrumbs and a beaten egg directly into the mix, we create a 'safety net' that locks in moisture without masking the buffalo's natural taste. Plus, that hit of tangy BBQ sauce inside the patty ensures every bite is juicy and packed with zest, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that feels gourmet yet humble.
ron's note: do what you want, I don't typically add these to bison burgers myself, a good hot sear, and quick cook, and they are plenty juicy

Kitchen Wisdom for Better Burgers

Handle with Care:
Bison is lean and delicate. Mix the meat gently and barely press the patties together to keep the texture tender rather than tough.
Watch the Heat:
Unlike high-fat beef, bison cooks quickly. Aim for a hard sear on the outside while keeping the inside medium-rare to medium (pink center) for the most succulent results.

Make It Your Own

If you find yourself out of panko, crushed crackers or even rolled oats work as great binders. For those watching their sugar intake, swap the Kansas style sauce for a sugar-free spicy BBQ alternative to keep the flavor bold without the sweetness.