I was just up there a couple weeks ago, people are idiots around the bison. Getting out of cars to walk close to them for pictures, just hanging around them. No appreciation at all that its a 1 ton beast that can flip you into the air whole barely trying.
Normally I’d agree with you, but did you watch the video? The guy was over 100 feet away (probably farther, it’s hard to tell) and walking further away when the bison charged him down.
My ex used to work in Yellowstone, and they closed her entire building because a bison was taking a nap across the street. The management was worried that customers would get gored in the parking lot, so they shut down the entire lot and building until the bison was gone.
There was another instance where a calf (they usually called them red dogs, because they tend to look like dogs from a distance) was sleeping on the road between her job and the employees’ living quarters. They cancelled the shift change (and everyone currently working had to pull a double shift) because it was too dangerous for the staff to swap out while the mother was likely nearby.
All of this is to say that 100 feet wasn’t enough. The recommended distance is more like 200-300 feet, minimum. Bison are extremely territorial, especially during mating season.
According to a news article about this incident, the victim was about 100m away, and the bison was agitated by a truck driver honking his horn. Since the official recommendation for the park is 25m away, and the bison was upset by the truck driver, I don’t think there’s any version of this where it’s the victim’s fault.
But he caught its attention, and what he should have done is, when the bison was looking the other way, instead of stopping and trying to hide behind the tree, he had already run around once, he should have bolted.
But I agree, he didn’t do anything to provoke or go to the bison, he just got caught in its crosshairs, and I hope he’s okay.
I’ve watched people get out of their cars and chase bears in the Smokies to get a photo. People are crazy. It’s amazing more people don’t die from bear attacks
Ironically chasing the bear is probably the safer option. It’s a predator so it will actually avoid wastes of calories. Prey animals will resort to “one or both of us is dieing here.”
A moose almost did this to my stepmom is Yellowstone when I was a kid. it chased her around out far for 30 seconds before my dad was able to quickly open the door and snatch her in.
I was just up there a couple weeks ago, people are idiots around the bison. Getting out of cars to walk close to them for pictures, just hanging around them. No appreciation at all that its a 1 ton beast that can flip you into the air whole barely trying.
Recommendation is 25m distance. He was 100m. Honking truck spooked the bison. One of those rare times it wasn’t an idiot. Poor bison.
Normally I’d agree with you, but did you watch the video? The guy was over 100 feet away (probably farther, it’s hard to tell) and walking further away when the bison charged him down.
I’m no bison expert but it looks like that was not enough, at all.
Empirical evidence supports your theory
More trials may be needed to determine if this was an outlier.
I saw a video explainer. Apparently the truck honked a bunch of times and that upset the bison.
My ex used to work in Yellowstone, and they closed her entire building because a bison was taking a nap across the street. The management was worried that customers would get gored in the parking lot, so they shut down the entire lot and building until the bison was gone.
There was another instance where a calf (they usually called them red dogs, because they tend to look like dogs from a distance) was sleeping on the road between her job and the employees’ living quarters. They cancelled the shift change (and everyone currently working had to pull a double shift) because it was too dangerous for the staff to swap out while the mother was likely nearby.
All of this is to say that 100 feet wasn’t enough. The recommended distance is more like 200-300 feet, minimum. Bison are extremely territorial, especially during mating season.
According to a news article about this incident, the victim was about 100m away, and the bison was agitated by a truck driver honking his horn. Since the official recommendation for the park is 25m away, and the bison was upset by the truck driver, I don’t think there’s any version of this where it’s the victim’s fault.
But he caught its attention, and what he should have done is, when the bison was looking the other way, instead of stopping and trying to hide behind the tree, he had already run around once, he should have bolted.
But I agree, he didn’t do anything to provoke or go to the bison, he just got caught in its crosshairs, and I hope he’s okay.
I assume the reason he didn’t bolt was to get the bison away from his partner.
I used to live in Alaska and people do the same around bears and moose. I think they have a feeling of “Animals won’t hurt me, I’m on vacation!”
I’ve watched people get out of their cars and chase bears in the Smokies to get a photo. People are crazy. It’s amazing more people don’t die from bear attacks
Ironically chasing the bear is probably the safer option. It’s a predator so it will actually avoid wastes of calories. Prey animals will resort to “one or both of us is dieing here.”
A moose almost did this to my stepmom is Yellowstone when I was a kid. it chased her around out far for 30 seconds before my dad was able to quickly open the door and snatch her in.
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