Bison & Buffalo Safety

Bison injure more visitors in places like Yellowstone than any other animal, including bears. They look slow and tame. They are neither — a bison can run 35 mph, three times faster than a person, and can turn and accelerate with almost no warning.

Warning Signs

  • Raised tail — a bison about to charge or run often lifts its tail straight up.
  • Pawing the ground, head-shaking, or snorting/bellowing.
  • Lowered head pointed directly at you.
  • A bull separated from the herd during rut (roughly July–September) — treat every solo bull as agitated.

Distance

Stay at least 25 yards (75 feet) away — farther if the animal shows any warning sign above, and always farther near roads where bison jams push people closer than they realize. Never position yourself between a bison and where it wants to go, and never approach one for a photo.

If One Approaches or Charges

  1. Do not run in the open unless a vehicle, solid building or sturdy barrier is within a few steps — you cannot outrun a bison.
  2. Get behind a vehicle, fence, or other solid barrier immediately if one is available.
  3. If no barrier exists, move away at an angle, not straight backward, and put distance and any obstacle you can between you and the animal.
  4. Never try to herd, haze, or touch a bison to get it to move, including a calf that looks stuck or alone.
  5. Keep dogs leashed and away from bison entirely — a dog is a common trigger for a charge that then involves the dog's owner.

Relevant Terrain

Relevant Months

See also: Wildlife and Bear Safety.