Wayward bison in Rochester is located, put down

The nearly weeklong saga of a bison on the loose in the Rochester area came to an end on Friday evening.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office reported that the wayward bison was located in a wooded area of Rochester Township, about 5 miles southwest of downtown Rochester, just before 6 p.m. Friday. But the animal was put down "due to safety concerns the wandering bison could and did present. The bison was shot by the owner who took possession of the deceased animal for proper disposal."

The bison was first spotted on Sunday by a farmer who reported it walking through his fields in southwest Rochester. Officers approached the animal at that time, but it started acting aggressively.

After that, law enforcement tracked down the bison's owner, who estimated the animal weighed between 1,500 and 1,800 pounds. Authorities had warned the public to not underestimate the speed of a bison; they asked people to stay away from the animal if they spotted it.

"They will charge if they feel threatened because they will protect themselves," Olmsted County Sheriff's Office Capt. Scott Behrns said earlier in the week.

The sheriff's office on Saturday thanked the public for its help in keeping track of the bison's whereabouts.