The first step in clothing production is gathering material to create the pieces. One of the most precious resources to the Plains Indians was the bison. Bison meat provided food; their hides were used to make robes and teepees; and their bones and ligaments were fashioned into tools. Hides from smaller animals, like deer and elk, were typically used for clothing so the larger buffalo hides could be used for other items, such as teepee covers.

The first image of a Native American hunter that might come to your mind is of a man on horseback. However, before Europeans brought the horse to the New World, the Plains Indians had to hunt their game on foot. Once a year, many tribes would come together to hunt bison by driving them over cliffs. Throughout the rest of the year, small bands would hunt smaller game with bows and arrows to keep the tribe provided with food and hides. The horse was introduced to the Plains Indians in the 18th century and became a very important asset to Native hunting. Horses allowed the hunters to keep up with the fast-moving herds. In the beginning, the Plains Indians continued to hunt with bow and arrow from horseback, but firearms were more commonly used once they became more accurate and quicker to load in the mid-1800s.