The American bison may have been, at one time, the most abundant large wild mammal on earth. The historical references to their immense herds are difficult to comprehend; such is the scale of their numbers and the sheer improbable spectacle the authors of these reports try to convey. Perhaps these images are also difficult for us to understand because they inevitably inspire in the sensitive reader a feeling of great sadness that such a wondrous prospect must now be denied us all, forever. This article originally appeared in Sports Afield magazine. 

Shane took live calls from listeners on CBC's "Cross Talk" with Ramona Dearing in response to the question - do you eat wild meat? Plus, the discussion of Shane's Wild Harvest Initiative and the research revealed in Michigan; is eating wild game sustainable; if everyone were a vegan, would that harm the world more in terms of land use and production; and callers - both for and against eating wild game - test Shane.