Rogue Bison In Arkansas: Buffaloes Escape And Wreak Havoc In Hot Springs, Arkansas

There is apparently a buffalo uprising of sorts taking place in America’s heartland, with the most recent occurrence being a rogue herd of bison taking to the streets of Hot Springs, Arkansas, tearing around through people’s yards, causing traffic accidents, and generally causing as much ruckus and trouble as any outlaw motorcycle gang that came riding into town might.

The folks in Hot Springs, Arkansas, first faced the rapscallion herd of unruly bison last week, according to the Hot Springs Sentinel Record, which posted photos and video of the roving bison on their Facebook page. According to a Sentinel Record post, the renegade group of buffalo first took to the Hot Springs streets, and started kicking up their hooves, on Thursday.

“BUFFALO ON THE LOOSE: Volunteers, the Hot Springs Police Department, Hot Springs Animal Services, and the Garland County Sheriff’s Department are attempting to round up five buffalo that broke loose from a farm in the Shady Grove Road area, crossed Malvern Road and have been roaming through neighborhoods in the Lakeside area since early Thursday morning. A total of six buffalo escaped, and one was struck by a vehicle and injured.”

As of mid-day Monday, Hot Springs authorities had been able to round up four of the buffaloes, but two remain on the lam, the remaining rogue bison keeping the small Arkansas town on edge, with residents most likely on a high buffalo alert.

According to AP, via the Huffington Post, the two remaining delinquent buffaloes have bamboozled the Arkansas authorities that have been trying to capture them. In fact, the two last remaining escapees from the bison herd have now reportedly gallivanted off into thin air. Well, not really, but the exact whereabouts of the outlaw buffaloes is not known.

According to Hot Springs Cpl. Sonia Luzader, law enforcement knows generally where the ne’er-do-well 2,000 pound buffaloes may have escaped to, but that the two buffaloes had so far managed to lay low and stay out of sight, continuing to elude the cops.

The one buffalo that got hit by the car and injured was taken into custody and forced back to the farm. The other three captured rogue bison were tranquilized Thursday night, shortly after the whole escaped Arkansas buffalo saga began, and being released on their own recognizance will not be an option for the outlaw buffaloes.

Fortunately at this point, none of the Arkansas town’s 35,000 residents have suffered any injuries due to the buffalo herd escape.

Along with now being the site of a large bison herd escape, another fun fact about the Arkansas town is that it is where former President William Jefferson Clinton was raised as a boy.

Also, along with buffalo neighbors, Hot Springs attracts many tourists with its natural hot springs, horse racing track, and a designated national park.

As far as runaway buffaloes, the Arkansas community isn’t the only one in the Midwest to experience rogue bison. The video below features a recent fugitive buffalo running from police in Texas. No wonder the Arkansas buffalo escapees were so hard to catch.

So if you’re happening through Arkansas, keep an eye out for the last two fugitive buffaloes.

[Image by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record, via Facebook, video via YouTube]