Bud Cotton was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec in 1890. He grew up in the Eastern Townships, but longed to ride the ranges of the Western Plains.

He packed his saddle and moved west to become a cowboy at the tender age of 16, riding with the cattle herds at various ranches. In 1913 he joined the warden staff at Wainwright Buffalo Park Reserve and remained there, apart for serving in the military in World War I, until the park closed in 1940. After working for the military during World War II, he followed the buffalo when they were shipped to Elk Island Park, east of Edmonton, where he stayed until his retirement in 1947.

In 1980 part of the original Wainwright Buffalo Park Reserve was handed back to the buffalo by the Canadian Military. On June 10th they put 4 young buffalo onto the reserve and named it Bud Cotton Buffalo Paddock in honour of Bud's contribution to the area. One of the buffalo was the grandson of Eric the Buffalo, the original head of the herd, his name is Ernie.