Bison in the Tetons

American Bison don’t seem to get the fanfare they deserve, especially in the Tetons! Many of the tourists are on a mission to find grizzlies and moose. I generally understand. Visitors coming from Yellowstone probably saw all of the bison then needed, so more bison doesn’t trip their trigger anymore. Yellowstone’s “landscape” is generally different than the Tetons, and of course, the Tetons have the majestid mountain range that can be used as a backdrop. I believe many overlook the Teton’s bison opportunities. 

For many years, a large number of bison spent their summers in the southern portion of the the park. That changed drastically when bison hunting started on the National Elk Refuge. Bison are quick learners! They learned to stay out of the refuge until late in the winter.  The bulk of the herds moved farther north and now spend the summers in the Elk Ranch Flats area. Additionally, we used to have access to the west side of the Snake River using the connector between the Bar-BC Ranch Road and the RKO Road. The park service closed that section a few years back, stating there was road damage at some spot on the road. During the years I had access to the west side of the Snake, I often found herd there. C’est la vie!

Bison go into the rut in August—the earliest of the ungulates in GTNP. Some of the nothern herds move south for a short period during the rut. Some of the cows give birth to their little “red dogs” in early May. They grow quickly, but It is also possible to see late season red dogs well into the fall. Being a herd animal, they move around the area regularly. The roaming helps keep them from overgrazing any one area.

Once a heavy layer of snow covers the valley floor, some of the herds begin moving to the National Elk Refuge. They often stay in the Kelly-Gros Ventre area for a few days before disappearing onto the refuge. The wintering bison herd stays in the north portion of the National Elk Refuge, and if they move to the Refuge Road, officials haze them back north. Visitors seldom see the Teton bison until April as they begin migrating north.

While many of the park officials spend the spring, summer, and fall “protecting” visitors and photographers from bears in the north portion of the park, it could very well be that the bison are much more dangerous. With few rangers and Wildlife Management volunteers, most visitors have the southern portion of the park to themselves. A one ton adult bull bison can run almost as fast as a horse, and they are unpredictable. My bison photos are all taken either from inside my vehicle or very close to it, and I am ready to jump on my car or get back in immediately if one approaches aggressively.