Mammals diurnal

American Bison

Bison bison

The American Bison is the undisputed king of the North American prairie. These massive, shaggy-coated icons represent the wild spirit of the continent and provide a spectacular subject for any trail camera enthusiast.

8 Sightings

2 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Height: 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m) at the shoulder; Length: 7–11.5 ft (2.1–3.5 m); Weight: 700–2,200 lbs (318–1,000 kg)

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Colors

Deep chocolate brown to black shaggy fur; calves are a bright reddish-orange for their first few months.

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Key Features

Massive shoulder hump supported by elongated vertebrae
Large, heavy head with short, black, upward-curving horns
Thick, woolly beard and mane on the forequarters
Tail with a tufted end used for signaling mood

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours Sunrise to mid-morning (6-10 AM) and late afternoon (4-8 PM)

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Season Year-round; peak activity and social interaction during the rut in July and August.

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Diet Bison are strict herbivores, primarily grazing on various grasses and sedges. They use their massive heads like snowplows in the winter to reach buried vegetation.

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Habitat Open grasslands, prairies, and plains; occasionally found in montane meadows or semi-open woodlands.

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Behavior

American Bison are highly social animals that live in herds structured around matriarchal groups. While bulls spend much of the year in smaller bachelor groups or solitary, they join the larger female-led herds during the summer breeding season, known as the rut. During this time, the prairie is filled with the deep, guttural bellows of males competing for dominance and the attention of females.

One of the most fascinating behaviors to witness on camera is 'wallowing.' Bison will roll their massive bodies in dry depressions in the dirt to create dust baths. This helps them shed their heavy winter coats, provides relief from biting insects, and leaves behind scent marks. Despite their bulky appearance, bison are surprisingly agile; they can run at speeds up to 35 mph and are strong swimmers, often crossing wide rivers during seasonal migrations.

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Camera Tips

When setting up a camera for bison, the most critical factor is durability. Bison are notorious for using any vertical object—including your camera mounting post—as a scratching post. To prevent your gear from being destroyed or knocked over, avoid mounting cameras on standalone saplings or flimsy poles. Instead, choose a very sturdy, mature tree or use a heavy-duty protective security box (bear box) bolted securely into a firm surface. If possible, set the camera back several feet from a known trail or wallow to capture the full scale of these massive animals.

Placement height is different for bison than for smaller backyard wildlife. Aim to mount your camera at chest height—roughly 3 to 4 feet off the ground—and angle it slightly upward if you are on a slope. Because of their size, a standard trail camera may struggle to capture the whole animal if it's too close. Look for 'wallows' (large dusty bowls in the grass) or well-worn game trails that lead to water sources. These are the highest-traffic areas where you can capture the best footage of social behavior and movement.

In terms of camera settings, bison move with a slow, steady gait, but they can be surprisingly fast when startled. Use a fast trigger speed (0.5 seconds or less) and set your camera to take 'burst photos' or short video clips. Video is particularly rewarding for bison because it captures their unique vocalizations and the dust-cloud action of wallowing. If you are monitoring a large meadow, use a camera with a long-range PIR sensor, as bison may graze several dozen yards away from the treeline.

Seasonally, the winter months offer incredible opportunities for 'snow-plowing' shots, where bison use their heads to move snow. However, make sure your batteries are cold-weather rated (lithium is best), as these animals thrive in temperatures that will drain standard alkaline batteries in hours. During the summer rut, the action is constant, but keep in mind that the dust kicked up by a herd can sometimes trigger false motion alerts or cloud the lens, so regular maintenance and lens cleaning are a must.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with American Bison.

European Bison

The European bison (Wisent) is taller and less shaggy than the American bison, with a smaller head and longer horns.

Muskox

Muskox are much smaller than bison and have hair that hangs almost to the ground, with horns that meet in a 'boss' across the forehead.

Domestic Cattle

Cattle lack the bison's massive shoulder hump and the distinct thick, woolly mane on the forequarters.

Frequently Asked Questions

American Bison are primarily diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. Their peak activity occurs in the cool hours of early morning and late afternoon, while they often spend the heat of midday resting and ruminating.

Because of their massive size and the need for vast grazing lands, you generally cannot 'attract' bison to a typical suburban backyard. However, if you live on acreage bordering public lands, maintaining open, native grasslands and providing a large water source can encourage them to pass through.

American Bison are grazers that eat primarily grasses, sedges, and occasionally woody plants or lichens when grass is scarce. They spend a significant portion of their day foraging to fuel their large bodies.

No, bison are not common in suburban areas. They require large tracts of grassland and are mostly found in national parks, wildlife refuges, and large private ranches across the Western United States and Canada.

American Bison are much larger than most domestic cattle and possess a distinct high shoulder hump, a massive head with a woolly beard, and a thick coat of dark brown fur that is much shaggier on the front half of the body.

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