Montana Buffalo / Bison, Pictures

Considered an Icon of the American West, bison, also commonly referred to as buffalo, freely roam the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem where they have existed continuously since prehistoric times.

Overview

Bison numbers once numbered in the tens of millions before settlers discovered the West. They were almost driven to extinction by the early 1900s when only 2 dozen bison remained. Today, there are about 600,000 bison in North America and about 20,000 of those are found on public land. In Yellowstone, the population fluctuates between 2300 to 4000 animals.

• Bison can run up to 30mph and jump fences that are 6 feet tall!
• Males (bull) weigh up to 2000 lbs and females (cow) can weigh as much as 1000 lbs!
• Calving season runs from mid April to early June.
• Bison feed on sedges and grasses
• Both bulls and cows have horns.

Best Places for Viewing Bison

While there are no bison found directly in Big Sky, MT, you can find bison just down the road in Yellowstone National Park. In the summer, you can find bison in any of the grassland areas of the park. In winter, your best chances of seeing a bison are near hydrothermal areas along the Madison River. Year-round, you will find bison in both the Hayden and Lamar valleys.

Respecting Wildlife

Bison have been known to kill humans. Giving these animals as much space as possible is critical. Here are a few tips:

• Use only roadside pullouts when viewing any animal.
• Do no approach bison or any other wildlife! They may seem docile, but they are very unpredictable and will charge a human. 25 yards distance between you and a bison is a good rule of thumb.
• Please do not feed wildlife.