The documentary airs on SDPB-TV tonight at 8:00 p.m. Central. James “Scotty” Philip, a pioneer South Dakota rancher, is often credited with saving the American Bison from extinction. His story is told in “The Buffalo King,” a production of Nowlin Town Productions. Philip and his wife, a Native American, came to Dakota Territory in the late 1800s. He set out to save the buffalo from extinction by buying a small herd of 74 buffalo. By the time of his death in 1911, the buffalo herd had grown to more than 1,000. Buffalo from his herd have been used to restock herds across the nation, including Custer State Park. Justin Koehler, executive producer and director of "The Buffalo King," discussed the documentary.