An archaeologists view: Knowing the data. A commentary on Keigley (2019) and Beschta and Ripple (2019)

On the Ground • Bison have been a component of the Greater Yellowstone Area for more than 10,000 years. Archaeological sites are subjected to numerous natural and cultural factors that influence the preservation of organic materials. • The Yellowstone Plateau is a particularly challenging area for organic preservation due to acidic soils, bioturbation, sedimentation, and other pedogenic and geomorphic factors. • Our commentary presents a more complex understanding of the presence of bison in Yellowstone National Park and explains why using simple presence or absence of species is a flawed strategy and that a more sophisticated understanding of the archaeological record is necessary.