Billy The Bison Spotted Near Her Farm, Being Lured With Food

LAKE AND MCHENRY COUNTIES, IL — A runaway bison that has been dubbed "as elusive as Sasquatch himself" has returned to and been hanging out near her home in Wauconda in recent weeks. She's been referred to as "Billy the Bison" by her fans on social media and she's gotten a lot of attention after being spotted in backyards and walking down roadways in Lake and McHenry counties.

She could soon be back with her sister in the coming days if a plan by her owner to lure her with molasses-sweetened feed works, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

Scott Comstock, co-owner of Milk & Honey Farmstead in Wauconda, says Billy has been spotted in and around a forest preserve near the farm and he's gotten close to her. She's visited with his sister and made friends with a donkey at a nearby horse farm; the donkey "hee-haws" at Billy and Billy grunts back, according to the article.

The bison has been wandering the area since she escaped in September.

"It happened when we were unloading the bison at the farm and she got away," Comstock told Patch in November. "She went through a big swamp area, and I met up with her on the other side. And then she looked at me and started walking toward [Route] 176. I followed her and she just looked at me and said, 'See ya.'"

Her presence in Cary has really had people talking as residents lauded the wily animal who has evaded capture and shared photos of her in their backyards or alongside roadways. Billy is rumored to have crossed the Fox River, possibly more than once, and Cary police have received reports of bison sightings.

On Nov. 30, a driver called to report nearly hitting the bison while it crossed East Main Street near Decker Drive.

"Our officers responded to the area and did not locate a buffalo. We also made the McHenry County Sheriff's Office aware of the report," he said. After that, they learned of a couple reports in unincorporated Cary east of Decker and Montana drives.

Before that, Island Lake police shared a dash cam video of her crossing a roadway, telling drivers they should stay vigilant so they don't hit the accidentally hit the bison with their cars. In the Facebook post, police referred to her as "elusive as Sasquatch."

Comstock and police have urged the public not to chase Billy. Comstock said the bison is docile but could become aggressive if she feels threatened. If she's spotted out in public, it's because she wants to be seen. Bison are herd animals, and she's likely lonely.

Milk & Honey Farmstead plans to use the bison for educational purposes; the farm hosts educational programs for children from the city, Comstock said. At some point, the bison will be used for breeding, but the farmstead has no plans of slaughtering the animal.

MORE ON PATCH

• Will Billy The Bison Make It Home For The Holidays?
• Elusive Bison Still Roaming Free
• Bison Escapes, Roams Free In Lake, McHenry Counties