USA – -(Ammoland.com)- In 1889, William Hornady, a founder of the American Bison Society, compiled a tally of Bison in North America. He recorded 85 wild, 256 in private herds, 550 near Great Slave Lake in Canada and 200 under Federal protection in the United States.
Of the tens of millions of Bison that once ranged America, the American Bison Society reported that only 1,091 remained.
Today, Bison populations have recovered dramatically and the Hunting Heritage Trust is recognizing the Bison’s rescue from the brink of extinction with an impressive “Return of a Monarch” tribute featuring 1,091 specially engraved Henry Repeating Arms .45-70 rifles, hand-forged Ross Tyser Bison Tribute Bowie Knives and related Bison artwork.
The edition of 1,091 rifles is available on www.bisontribute.org and selected serial numbers will be auctioned on www.GunBroker.com Buyers will have the ability to select a serial number from 0001BISON1091 to 1091BISON1091 while numbers last. Available serial numbers are listed on bisontribute.org.
The “Return of a Monarch” project takes on greater significance with the 2016 passage of The National Bison Legacy Act, naming the Bison as the Official Mammal of the United States of America.
The rifle selected for the “Return of a Monarch” Tribute is the Henry Repeating Arms .45-70 lever action with brass receiver and presentation-grade Walnut stock. The .45-70 has been a part of the American shooting scene for nearly 150 years but the Henry lever action .45-70 with solid brass receiver has only recently been available to Henry Repeating Arms fans.
Engraving on the right side of the receiver is based on an original charcoal drawing, “On the Brink” created for this project by well-known South Dakota artist, Ray Kelly.
Engraving on the receiver’s left side is based on a Rosemary Millett oil painting entitled “Dusty Plains Bison”. Millett created the painting after watching two bison bulls walk across a South Dakota plain and being amazed at how much dust two ambling bison could generate. The painting is a Wild Wings exclusive, licensed to the Hunting Heritage Trust for this project.
Additional details will soon be issued by the Hunting Heritage Trust on the Ross Tyser Bowie knives and the Ray Kelly and Rosemarie Millett art prints.
Proceeds from the project will help fund a comprehensive two-hour documentary for public television exploring the historic and ongoing importance of hunting to conservation and wildlife management in North America.
The “Return of a Monarch” rifle is available for $1,595.00. To order or check serial number availability, visit www.bisontribute.org .
