A young Harvard dropout named Will Andrews becomes disillusioned with his sheltered life and yearns for raw experiences. He heads to the frontier, searching for purpose and authenticity. In Kansas, he encounters Miller, a tough buffalo hunter whom he sees as the embodiment of the untamed spirit he seeks. Mesmerized by the stories of the adventures and fortunes in the wilderness, Will invests in Miller's next expedition.

The ragtag group, including Cook and Charley Hoge, is assembled for an arduous trek deep into the unexplored Colorado ranges known as Butcher’s Crossing where miller claims there's a vast herd ripe for hunting. As they journey further into the wilderness, Will is both fascinated and unnerved by the harsh reality of the frontier life, contrasting sharply with his romanticized notions. He witnesses the brutal realities of survival and the destructive obsession with wealth and control over nature. Tensions rise as Miller becomes increasingly fixated on his goal, pushing the boundaries of sanity and testing the limits of everyone's resolve. As conflicts intensify, Will finds himself questioning his own values and the true cost of freedom and ambition amidst the wilderness's unforgiving vastness.