Bison Herd Moves Into Dakota County: Here's Why, And How To See Them

HASTINGS, MN — If you catch a glimpse of bison while driving by the Spring Lake Park Reserve, don't be surprised. They were reintroduced to the land this fall by Dakota County.

The Spring Lake Park master plan called for bison to make a more resilient and stable prairie.

Before they arrived in Dakota County, the reintroduced bison were a part of the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd.

But why bison?

Before European settlement and urbanization, Minnesota's prairies were naturally maintained by occasional fires, the state's natural climate, and animal grazing.

The largest grazer of the prairie lands was bison, which feed on the grass.

According to Dakota County, Bison's grazing habits "boost plant diversity by giving wildflowers the chance to compete with the tall grasses."

With more plant diversity comes a better habitat for birds, butterflies, bees, and more.

So where you can safely see the herd?

Bison, the largest land mammal in North America, will be visible from the Mississippi River Greenway.

The bison herd lives in a fenced-in 150-acre prairie on the western side of the park. This map shows the bison paddocks.

However, due to the season, your chances of seeing the bison are currently low. "Don’t expect to see much of the bison this fall and winter while they adjust to their new surroundings," the county said.

"Plan on seeing more of them once spring arrives."

Learn more about the bison prairie here.