Farmer Thought He Was In Charge-Then This Baby Bison Proved Him Wrong
TikToker @ndotgrn admits that baby bison may look cute and cuddly-but he quickly proves that appearances can be deceiving. After recently welcoming a bull calf to the ranch, he's been caring for the little one, though the feeling doesn't seem entirely mutual.
In the clip that he jokingly names "Taming the Beast", @ndotgrn reaches out, knowing full well how the interaction might go. The moment the calf gets close enough, it suddenly charges, knocking him right off his feet. It's a surprising reminder that even the cutest baby animals can have a wild side.
@ndotgrn #fyp#farming#ranching#northdakota#bison
original sound - NDOTT
Luckily, in a more recent clip, @ndotgrn shares that the two have since become buddies, and the calf is no longer attacking him every chance he gets. They even play a version of ring-around-the-rosie together, suggesting the baby just needed a little time to learn to trust him.
Related: Country Music Star Chase Rice Shares Adorable Video of Baby Bison Taking Its First Steps
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Why Baby Bison Headbutt People and Other Animals
There may be a simple reason that this calf continues to headbutt the person caring for him. According to cattle experts, calves often headbutt their mothers as a natural instinct…
RHN Wagyu, LLC explains that calves often headbutt their mothers, which is a natural instinct.
Nursing cows don't immediately let their milk down when nursing; their udders need to be stimulated to start the flow of milk. Calves nudge their moms to signal, "Hey, I'm hungry! Time to let down some milk."
Since this baby bison is away from his mom, he might see @ndotgrn as his mom, and headbutts him to say, "Feed me!"
Another reason the bison calf may be headbutting is that he sees the farmer as someone to play with. Mike Dunn, a naturalist and educator, observed baby bison playing in Yellowstone.
He shared in an article on his website, Roads End Naturalist, that when they are not nursing or sleeping, the calves are full of energy, curious, and engage in all sorts of running around and play. He noted that baby bison often headbutt not only as a form of play, but also to practice fighting, something they'll do often when they reach adulthood.
Here's another fun fact about baby bison: they have an unusual nickname. While adult bison are dark brown, newborn calves are actually an orangish-red color. Because of this, they're often called "red dogs." And red dogs get very big. Adult bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, making even playful behavior from calves something to take seriously as they grow.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM.