How to Identify Bison in Maryland

A bison is unmistakable once you see one. The animal stands 5.5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs 900 to 2,000 pounds, with males significantly larger than females. The defining features are a massive head, a pronounced shoulder hump made of muscle and fur, short legs relative to body length, and a thick mane and beard. Bison have dark brown fur that becomes shaggy in winter. Domestic cattle, by contrast, lack the prominent shoulder hump, have longer, thinner legs, smaller heads, and a more streamlined body shape. If you see something with a pronounced hump and massive chest, it is almost certainly a bison.

Both male and female bison have horns, though males have larger, more prominent ones. Bison horns curve inward and upward, forming a lyre or crescent shape, and they are relatively short compared to the animal's head. The horns are set low and wide on the skull. In contrast, domestic cattle horns are often longer, straighter, or curve outward. Highland cattle and some beef breeds have impressive horns, but they lack the bison's shoulder hump and different horn curvature. If you see short, curved, inward-facing horns on a massive humped creature, you are looking at a bison.

Beyond the hump and horns, bison have a distinctive face. They have a broad muzzle, dark eyes, and a heavy brow ridge. Their tail is short and tufted, quite different from a cow's long tail. The fur around the hump, shoulders, and neck is noticeably thicker and shaggier than the fur on the back and sides. In winter, this difference is even more pronounced. Their hooves are slightly smaller relative to body size than those of cattle. These details together create an unmistakable silhouette that is impossible to confuse with domestic livestock once you know what to look for.

Bison are generally quiet animals, but they can produce several vocalizations. Males produce deep, low grunts and occasional roars, especially during the rut (breeding season in summer). Females and calves make quieter grunts and bleats to communicate. When alarmed, bison may snort or huff audibly through their nostrils. They do not moo like cattle. If you hear a deep, resonant vocalization from a massive humped animal, it could be a bison bull, though the sound is rare to hear in the wild or even in captivity unless the animal is disturbed.

Bison move with surprising agility for their size. They can run up to 35 miles per hour and are excellent swimmers. Their gait is more compact and powerful than a cow's, with the shoulder hump rising and falling noticeably as they walk. They trot and gallop with a distinctive rolling motion. When threatened, bison can charge suddenly and with explosive power. Domestic cattle move more languidly and take longer strides relative to their leg length. If you see a massive animal moving with that characteristic hump-rolling motion, it is likely a bison, not cattle.

Any bison in Maryland is a captive or escaped animal and should be treated with extreme caution. Wild or semi-tame bison are dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach, corner, or attempt to touch the animal. Keep a safe distance of at least 100 feet. Contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources immediately if you see a loose bison. If the animal is on private property, contact the property owner and the DNR. Do not attempt to capture or contain the animal yourself. Bison are large, strong, and can inflict serious injury or death if provoked or startled.

Bison ranged throughout the eastern deciduous forests and grasslands of the eastern United States, including Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. Archaeological and historical records show that bison inhabited the Chesapeake Bay area and the valleys of the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. They preferred open grasslands and forest edges, moving in herds across vast ranges. By the 1700s, bison had been hunted to near-extinction in the East due to their meat, hides, and bones, and by 1820 they were functionally extinct east of the Mississippi River. Maryland has no wild bison left, nor is there any realistic scenario for their restoration.

No. There are no active restoration or reintroduction programs for bison in Maryland. The state lacks the vast contiguous grasslands and wilderness that wild bison require. Modern Maryland is too densely populated and fragmented into farms, towns, and suburbs. Bison need hundreds of thousands of acres and move across enormous seasonal ranges. Any bison in Maryland today is a captive or escaped domestic animal and remains the responsibility of its owner. If you are interested in seeing wild bison, visit the Great Plains, Yellowstone National Park, or other western refuges where populations are managed on protected lands.