The American Bison is the largest member of the Bovine Family of animals in North America. They can stand over six feet tall at their shoulder and can measure over ten feet in length.

Bison weigh an average of 1,200 to 1,400 lbs, but some can weigh as much as 2,200 lbs. Both sexes have large forequarters and massive heads with short horns. These horns are used for protection against predators and for fighting for rank within the herd. Bison once roamed the plains throughout the entire North American continent. Today remaining herds can only be found on wildlife refuges and private ranches.

Bison are well adapted to life on the prairie. They grow a thick shaggy coat that allows them to withstand the extreme conditions of the northern winters. This coat is so well insulated that snow will accumulate on the Bison’s backs without melting. Except during breeding season in the late fall, males or “bulls” live in small groups of up to thirty individuals. As the mating season approaches, these bulls will join herds of females and younger males. Higher ranking bulls breed more often than less mature bulls.