A buffalo coat is a heavy winter garment made from animal hair. They were popular during the early settlement period of the American West and the Canadian prairies

Canadian Prairies

The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...

. The use of the word "buffalo" is a misnomer, as these coats were actually made from American bison

American Bison

The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...

. Their use ended because of a rising conservationist movement intended to preserve the bison, which had been hunted to near-extinction. Buffalo coats were issued to police and military officers, particularly the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...

 and the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, prior to their replacement by parkas. The coats were intended for use in extreme cold or arctic conditions.