The North American Bison: Differs From The European Bison.

European BisonBison bonasus 

or 

European Woods Bison

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bison_bonasus_(Linnaeus_1758).jpg

Plains Bison Americanis

(Bison bison)PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wood-Buffalo-NP_Waldbison_98-07-02.jpg
Although so identified; the bottom image; directly above; obviously, is not a buffalo;  and, it is also not a Wood Bison.
The North American WOODS BISON, like the aurora trout http://cookingforsurvival--yourdownbutnotout.blogspot.com/2010/09/some-of-canadas-fresh-water-fish.html
is a TRUE Canadian.

Although they are superficially similar, the North American and European bison exhibit a number of physical and behavioural differences.
The North American species, like domestic cattle has 13ribs, while the European bison has 14. The North American bison has four lumbar vertebrae, while the European has five. The North American bison are not as rangy in build, and have shorter legs. The North American bison, including the woods bison, tend to graze more, and browse less than their European cousins, due to their necks being set differently. Compared to the nose  of the North American bison, that of the European species is set farther forward than the forehead then the neck is in a neutral position. The body of the North American bison is hairier, though it's tail has less hair than that of the European bison. the horns of the European bison are longer and point forward through the plane of its face, making it more adept at fighting through hooking or interlocking of horns in the same manner as domestic cattle, unlike the North American bison which favours charging. Unfortunately for their survival as a "true" "pure" species North American bison breed more readily with domestic cattle- having 13 ribs, it is just possible that they are more closely related to domestic cattle than are the European bison. Like the aboriginal or native peoples; most of the bison; existing in the United States of the Americas are now mongrel  hybrids; so it is just, conceivably, possible; that some of them do have some degree or quotient of buffalo blood.