You’re driving through Yellowstone National Park when traffic suddenly comes to a complete stop.
You look ahead and there it is. Big. Fuzzy. Standing directly in the road like it pays taxes here.
“BUFFALO!”
Well... technically.
That’s a bison.
Around Montana, we use “buffalo” and “bison” pretty interchangeably. Buffalo burgers. Buffalo jumps. Buffalo Bill. We’re definitely not here to ruin that for anyone. But if you’ve ever wondered what the actual difference is between a buffalo and a bison, welcome to your very quick Montana wildlife lesson.
SO, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Bison are native to North America. Buffalo are not.
The giant, shaggy animals roaming around Yellowstone National Park and other parts of Montana are American bison.
True buffalo include species like the African buffalo and water buffalo found in Africa and Asia.
Basically, if you’re stuck in a "Yellowstone Traffic Jam", you’re looking at bison.
HOW CAN YOU TELL?
Once you know what you’re looking for, bison are pretty easy to spot.
BISON
Big shoulder hump.
Massive shaggy head.
Thick beard.
Shorter, curved horns.
Looks like it could survive a Montana winter without checking the forecast.
BUFFALO
No giant shoulder hump.
Less shaggy.
Longer horns depending on the species.
Generally found in Africa and Asia.
Probably not causing your traffic jam in Yellowstone.
THEN WHY DO WE CALL THEM BUFFALO?
This is where things get a little fuzzy.
European explorers and settlers began referring to North American bison as buffalo centuries ago, and the name stuck. Today, “buffalo” is deeply woven into the language, history, and place names of the American West.
So when someone in Montana says they saw a buffalo, you probably don’t need to correct them over your morning coffee.
We know what they mean.
BISON IN MONTANA
Montana is one of the best places in the country to see American bison, especially in and around Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone is particularly important because its bison herd is descended from animals that survived the massive destruction of bison populations across North America in the 1800s.
Today, seeing these animals roaming across the Montana and Yellowstone landscape is one of those quintessential Western experiences that never really gets old.
Even if you’ve been sitting behind one for 20 minutes.
A FRIENDLY LOCALS ONLY REMINDER
Bison may look like gentle giants...
They are wild animals. They are fast. They are enormous. And they do not care that you really want the perfect photo for Instagram.
If you see bison in Yellowstone or anywhere else in Montana, give them plenty of space and follow all posted wildlife guidelines.
Zoom exists for a reason.
BUFFALO OR BISON?
Scientifically?
Bison.
Culturally?
We have a feeling Montana will keep saying both.
And honestly, as long as you’re admiring them from a safe distance, we’re not going to make a big stink about it.
Now you can just be the person in the car who quietly whispers, “Technically, that’s a bison.”
Welcome to the club.
So stay curious. Stay back. And for the love of Montana, please don’t pet the bison.
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