This post on r/todayilearned states that the US government only killed bison to prevent Native Americans from having it. This seems like a gross oversimplification. Were there other reasons for killing buffalo?
Hi! I've answered previously before, which you can check out here.
I've also provided information on this topic from a different angle before, which can be found here.
Both of these answers demonstrate how the United States wanted to exterminate the buffalo to quell the Indians, but part of the reason was also for economic exploitation.