American Indians, cowboys, Buffalo Bill Cody, gun fight at the OK Corral 3⁄4 these are some of the images conjured up when one reminisces about the bison.
Although bison are typically considered part of the America West, they once inhabited the continent from New York to Georgia, westward to the Rocky Mountains and eastern Oregon and Washington; and, northward from northern Mexico all the way to the Yukon.
           At one time, bison numbers were estimated at between 60 and 70 million animals. That was before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
           In 1825, bison were extinct east of the Mississippi River. The westward expansion of the transcontinental railroad hastened their demise in the west. By 1900, less than 300 wild bison remained.
           Today, they can be found in only a few isolated locations in a handful of western states, including the Canadian province of Alberta.
           Bison are at home on the prairies, both short-grass and long-grass, as well as in open forests, where they appear to enjoy escaping severe weather, hot sun, and insects.
           Two subspecies are recognized today, the plains bison (Bison bison), and the wood bison (B. bison athabascae). The plains bison roamed the open plains, while the wood bison was more at home on montane meadows.
           The wood bison is the larger of the two.
           Breeding takes place between mid-July and September, peaking during the month of August. During May the following year, after a nine and one-half month gestation period, a single reddish brown calf is born. Twins, while not rare, are the exception.
           Before calving, the pregnant cow wanders off in search of a secluded location where she can give birth to her calf in private. Within a few hours of birth, the newborn calf is capable of following its mother.
           Maturity is reached by age 7 or 8. Old timers may live to the ripe old age of 30, or more.
           Adults are dark brown with wooly hair covering their head, shoulders, and front legs. A two ton bull, with its huge head, shaggy beard, curved horns, and massive shoulder hump is an impressive looking animal. Cows are less imposing.
           Both sexes grow horns.
           When it comes to eating, bison are not particular. They'll eat just about any vegetation, as long as there's plenty of it.
           It’s not surprising that many people believe bison are more environmentally suited to the land than cattle. Unlike their domestic cousins, bison do not strip vegetation from their habitat and cause erosion.
           Bison normally assemble into groups of eight to twelve animals. These groups are made up of cows and their calves, along with a few immature bulls. Often several such groups will come together to form a large herd. A good indication that the rut is in progress is the presence of mature bulls within the group.
           Bison are dangerous animals. Most of the time they’ll ignore you. Just when you think there is no problem - WATCH OUT!    An upraised tail is warning sign that something’s about to happen, either a charge...or discharge. In either case, you don’t want to be too close.