Bison

Bison, also known as American bison, are large mammals of the Bovidae family native to North America. The two subspecies of bison are the plains bison and wood bison. Plains bisons once roamed in huge herds across much of North America but have since been reduced to a few thousand individuals living mainly on farms and reserves. Wood bisons inhabit boreal forests throughout Canada and Alaska with some reintroductions occurring in other areas such as Montana.

The largest extant land animal in North America, adult males can reach up to 6 feet tall at the shoulder when standing upright and weigh up to 2200 pounds or more while females average slightly smaller sizes. Both sexes possess a shaggy brown fur coat that insulates them from cold temperatures; their heads feature short black horns which they use for defense against predators including gray wolves, cougars, bears and humans during hunting season. They can live up to 20 years if free roaming or longer if kept on protected lands where food is plentiful year-round .

Unlike most other hoofed animals such as cattle or sheep, wild American bisons travel together in small groups called “mobs” rather than herds; these mobs usually consist of one male (bull) accompanied by multiple females (cows). Bulls will challenge each other for dominance during mating season using their horns until one concedes defeat – this helps maintain order within the mob structure ensuring only dominant bulls mate with cows who then give birth between May through July after a 9 month gestation period . Calves remain under close watch near their mothers until they become independent at around 8 months old before joining another group based upon gender .
Bisons were an important part of Native American culture prior colonization by Europeans whom hunted them almost into extinction due largely unregulated commercial harvesting practices combined with diseases spread by domestic livestock ; however conservation efforts have brought back over 500 000 head worldwide today allowing indigenous peoples opportunities for subsistence hunting again alongside modern day recreational activities ranging from wildlife viewing tours to trophy hunts all carefully managed populations appropriately balanced out amongst various stakeholders involved..

BISON TODAY: Today many private ranches operate commercially selling meat products nationwide plus offering guided hunting trips along seasonal schedules so hunters may experience taking down these iconic symbols firsthand without any negative repercussions towards remaining stock numbers while numerous public preserves now exist scattered across rural stretches providing visitors chances encounter wild specimens enjoying life untouched nature’s beauty first hand ..