The Bison Are Out!

Bison owners must follow strict fencing guidelines to ensure their animals don’t get loose. However, Bison are extremely intelligent, strong, and agile and may occasionally escape even the most secure pastures. Causes of the escape may include a damaged fence from storms or fire, tampering with (which is illegal and punishable by law), damaged cause animals in distress (a predator enters or a stampede occurs), and other elements. 

Here’s what to do if you witness a bison outside of an enclosure or damage to enclosures:

1. Do not approach, chase or yell at the bison and maintain a safe distance
   -Bison that have escaped from their home can become more unpredictable than when they are at “home”.  A strange place to a bison is much like a strange place to us, it can be viewed with curiosity, fear or anxiety and their behaviour will mirror this experience.
   -Bison are generally not dangerous, however, they are very fast and powerful animals and when they feel threatened their attitude can change quickly and at times will charge the threat.
   -Calm bison are generally quite easy to get back in, once they are excited the job can become much harder.

2. Contact your nearest producer, local authorities or the SBA
   -Bison are best handled by their manager that understands the herd, inexperienced people attempting to chase bison without prior experience, generally do not end well.

3. Do not shut the gate or fix the fence that the bison escaped from unless there are more animals that will get out.
   -Bison will generally return to the exact same place that they escaped and if this spot is closed it may make it harder to get them back in.
   -The most common place for a bison to escape from a pasture is through an open gate.

We will be making a video soon that you can share with your kids, students, and outdoor enthusiasts that may witness escaped bison! 

Keep everyone safe, share this page!