Best Time to See Bison in the US
July, June and August is the best time to see bison in the United States. This is a national picture built from 21,595 verified iNaturalist observations across 22 states, showing when and where bison are most active.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself.
21,595 verified observations of bison in the US, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When bison are recorded in the US
Peak month
July
4,001 records (18.5% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 449 | 2.1% |
| February | 660 | 3.1% |
| March | 797 | 3.7% |
| April | 1,333 | 6.2% |
| May | 2,791 | 12.9% |
| Junepeak | 3,868 | 17.9% |
| Julypeak | 4,001 | 18.5% |
| Augustpeak | 2,926 | 13.5% |
| September | 2,442 | 11.3% |
| October | 1,332 | 6.2% |
| November | 540 | 2.5% |
| December | 456 | 2.1% |
Bison you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| American Bison | 21,593 |
Across the country, bison sightings peak in July, when 4,001 of the 21,595 annual observations are logged, about 18.5% of the national total. Nationwide activity stays high through July, June and August.
The best states to see bison by recorded sightings are Wyoming (10,664), South Dakota (3,132), Utah (2,222), North Dakota (1,277) and Oklahoma (1,105). Each state page below breaks the year down month by month for that state.
The bison you are most likely to encounter nationwide are American Bison, the most-recorded species across all states combined.
Best states to see bison
- bison in Wyoming10,664 sightings, peak July
- bison in South Dakota3,132 sightings, peak July
- bison in Utah2,222 sightings, peak April
- bison in North Dakota1,277 sightings, peak July
- bison in Oklahoma1,105 sightings, peak April
- bison in Texas814 sightings, peak March
- bison in Montana664 sightings, peak June
- bison in California645 sightings, peak April
- bison in Colorado337 sightings, peak October
- bison in Florida314 sightings, peak February
- bison in Arizona226 sightings, peak June
- bison in Kansas58 sightings, peak June
- bison in New Mexico48 sightings, peak April
- bison in Nebraska29 sightings, peak May
- bison in Missouri24 sightings, peak June
Most-recorded bison species nationwide
- American Bison21,593 records
Gear to see them
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see bison in the US?+
July is the single best month nationwide, with the broader peak running through July, June and August, based on 21,595 verified observations across 22 states.
Which states are best for seeing bison?+
By recorded sightings, the top states are Wyoming, South Dakota and Utah. Wyoming leads with 10,664 verified observations.
How many bison sightings are recorded in the US each year?+
About 21,595 verified bison observations are logged on iNaturalist across 22 states with enough data to chart a seasonal pattern.
What kinds of bison live in the US?+
The most-recorded species nationwide are American Bison, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
Full bison guides by state