CARY, Il. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- An escaped bison has eluded capture for months in Lake and McHenry counties, and now the Lake County Sheriff's Office is asking people to be on the lookout, and if you spot the animal to call local police.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office calls the animal “Tyson the Bison,” but others call the 850-pound female bison, "Billy."
In reality, she had not been given a name when she escaped while being unloaded at the Milk and Honey Farmstead in Wauconda in September.
Since then, there have been numerous sightings, photos and videos, including police dash-cam video.
The sheriff's office warns that bison can be ornery and people should not to get too close.
"You won’t be able to wrangle her with ‘handcalfs,’ and she can be a bit ‘imbullsive’ so if you see her, please don’t approach her – you can call your local police agency, and we will call the owners for a ‘smooooth’ apprehension!" said the Lake County Sheriff's Office in a tongue and cheek Facebook post.
The bison has been seen in farm fields and forest preserves in Lake and McHenry counties, and has crossed the Fox River. She was most recently seen in Cary, where a local resident photographed her.
"She’s still on the ‘mooooove,’ as she fled from her ‘farmiliar’ surroundings in September! She continues to graze across western Lake and eastern McHenry counties! Tyson means you no ‘farm!’" said the Lake County Sheriff's Office in a tongue and cheek Facebook post.
One witness, Lisa Booth, told the Tribune she saw the animal on the side of the road at night.
“I sincerely had to look at my son and say, ‘are we dreaming this?’” Booth said.
No dream and “no bull” said a a social media post from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
"This is no bull! Actually, it’s an American Buffalo, fondly given the name ‘Tyson the Bison’...Tyson means you no ‘farm!’ We ‘hoof’ talked to the owners who are hoping for a snowfall, so they can track her and take her into ‘cowstody’ safely..." the post read.
The owners of the bison are hoping for snow, so tracking and capture will be easier.
This topic has a lot of interest on social media, with some rooting for the bison to stay free and others suggesting it may be taken by hunters. A few suggested the sheriff's police dog, Dax, should be used to track her.
In the meantime, if you spot "Tyson the Bison," you are asked to call police, who will then contact her owners.
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