BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN
Be advised if you’re traveling to West Yellowstone, because the bison migration is underway and the animals are currently on or near the highways, day and night.
As the continent’s historical bison migration routes have become major and minor highways, this has resulted in some of the animals being killed by speeding motorists. Six have already been struck and killed by motorists in 2013; five occurring within 72 hours, and all of the collisions at night.
The bison’s dark color and eye placement make them difficult to see at night. This is as much about human safety as it is to safeguard America’s last wild bison.
Some suggestions for safe driving:
– March through June, expect bison on the road, day or night.
– Heed the warnings. If you see the hot pink signs marking the presence of bison, slow down.
– A little patience goes a long way. An extra 2 – 5 minutes of your time could be the difference between your safe arrival or a totaled car, injuries or worse, and dead bison. Slow down, turn on your hazards, and let the animals move where they are headed. Speeding through them or causing them to scatter is very dangerous.
– Don’t honk. It doesn’t keep bison from crossing roads and can cause chaos and delays.
– Don’t pull over in their path or pull right up alongside of them. Blocking their path only keeps them on the road longer. Bison need to have a clear exit to get off the road.
