Bison Facts and Figures

Bison or Buffalo … which is correct?
American bison are not related to Asia’s water buffalo or Africa’s ferocious Cape buffalo … and are only distantly related to the European buffalo, called “Wisent”. But early settlers called America’s bison “bufello” and the name stuck. Current usage has it that “Buffalo” and “Bison” are used interchangeably, but this isn’t really correct.

A little bison history.
Bison played a vital role in sustaining the life of the Plains Indians by providing them with food, clothing, shelter and a large part of their culture. Later in the history of America, the Bison helped feed and sustain the explorers and settlers moving west. Hunted almost to extinction by the late 1800’s, Bison are enjoying a comeback. Over 80,000 Bison live in public and private herds on the North American continent.

Speed and Agility
Although they may look fat and lazy, bison can actually run as fast as 35 mph — three times faster than a human. They can outrun most horses and pivot on their hind feet as well as their front feet, enabling them to turn on a dime! Bison are very unpredictable animals, despite their docile appearance, and have been known to charge at humans and vehicles without warning.

Size How big is a bison?
Adult males run about 2,000 pounds, females about 1200 pounds. Entire herds of these giants, roaming the range, wore huge paths in the land during their migrations. Settlers would call these paths a “trace”. They sometimes made convenient wagon roads. Many of our modern highways follow the path of a bison trace.

Behavior
You may notice large, worn places in the land, polished rocks and worn away trees in areas where the bison roam. These are “wallows,” areas where bison have enjoyed a good roll when shedding their winter coats or given themselves a good scratch. Because of their size, such behaviors can actually be quite destructive on the landscape.

Horns
Bison horns, unlike deer and elk antlers, are made of a substance similar to hair. Unlike antlers, horns are slow growing and are permanent. They are grown in yearly “rings” which signify an animal’s age.

Taste
Bison tastes great! Most people interviewed feel Bison is the most flavorful meat they have ever tasted, with a sweeter and richer flavor than beef. Bison is naturally flavorful and tender and can be prepared much the same as beef. Bison falls into the gourmet or specialty meat category at your supermarket or meat market. The value of Bison is not what you pay, but what you get in return. Nutritionally you are getting more protein and nutrients with fewer calories and less fat. Bison is a dense meat that tends to satisfy you more while eating less.