Giant-Horned Bison
Bison latifrons
🦬
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Pecora
Bovidae
Bison
Bison latifrons
The Giant-Horned Bison, Bison latifrons, was the largest bovid to ever roam North America, a colossal ice-age grazer of the Pleistocene grasslands. Known for its extraordinary horns stretching over 2 meters tip-to-tip, this species was a powerful symbol of the megafauna era. Early Paleoindians likely encountered and hunted it, though its size and strength made it a formidable quarry.
Description
Bison latifrons was one of the largest bovids to have ever existed. It had a massive, muscular build, with a body length of about 4.75 meters and standing approximately 2.3 meters tall at the shoulder. Its most striking feature was its long, curved horns, which could span up to 2.13 meters from tip to tip. These horns were the longest of any bison species. Bison latifrons inhabited open woodlands and plains, grazing primarily on grasses
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1250
2.5
3.75
4.75
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Grazers
Hunt History
Although direct evidence of human hunting is rare, Bison latifrons lived during the arrival of Paleoindians in North America (~15,000 years ago). Its enormous size may have made it less commonly hunted compared to smaller, more manageable species. However, humans likely scavenged carcasses and opportunistically hunted isolated individuals using spears tipped with Clovis points. Over time, Bison antiquus evolved from latifrons, becoming more prominent in human hunting records.
Archaeological Evidence of Human Interaction:
Fossil Sites in Texas (USA) — Horn cores and skeletal remains suggest human presence nearby, though cut marks are rare.
Rancho La Brea Tar Pits (California, USA) — Bison latifrons fossils trapped in asphaltic deposits show predation/scavenging by both humans and carnivores.
Great Plains Fossil Beds (Kansas, Nebraska) — Horns and skulls often discovered in association with Pleistocene human artifacts, suggesting symbolic or practical use.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
13000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Japan
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
6
Est. Renderable Fat
75
kg
Targeted Organs
Hump/backfat, marrow, mesenteric fat
Adipose Depots
Hump/backfat, mesenteric, perirenal; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Hump/backfat & marrow
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4