Re: Park Visitor Injured By Bison in Yellowstone

A visitor from Utah was injured by a bison in a thermal area near Old Faithful on Monday evening.

At about 8:30 p.m. on July 19, a 49-year-old woman and a 61-year-old male family member were exiting the Biscuit Basin thermal area to rejoin their family group in the parking lot, when a bison appeared in some nearby brush and charged them. The woman was struck and flipped in the air by the bison.

She sustained injuries as a result of the bison’s impact and subsequent fall to the ground. As her male family member attempted to escape the bison’s charge, he tripped and fell, sustaining injuries to his shoulder, hand, and foot. He was not injured by the bison.

The family proceeded in their own vehicle toward Jackson, Wyoming. They were intercepted by park rangers near Grant Village, where the rangers and EMT staff provided medical assistance and ambulance transports for both parties to the hospital in Jackson.

This is the second time a park visitor has been charged and injured by a bison this summer.

Bison can be dangerous and should never be approached. A bull bison can stand six feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour. Bison cows will often protect their calves if there is a perceived threat.

Park regulations require people to stay at least 25 yards away from most animals like bison and elk, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times. Those who fail to abide by these requirements not only put themselves in danger, they may also be subject to a citation and fine.

Visitors desiring a closer look at animals are encouraged to use binoculars, a spotting scope, or the zoom lens on their still or video camera.

Sometimes it's impossible to stay 25 yards away from a Bison in Yellowstone. Like when they cross the road right in front of you.

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hotrod4x5
Sometimes it's impossible to stay 25 yards away from a Bison in Yellowstone. Like when they cross the road right in front of you.

Yep:

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hotrod4x5
Sometimes it's impossible to stay 25 yards away from a Bison in Yellowstone. Like when they cross the road right in front of you.

The regulations do not apply to situations such as travel in a vehicle:

See:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/supt_compendium.pdf
....

Disturbing Wildlife:
16. Willfully remaining or approaching, photographing, filming or video recording within 100 yards of bears or wolves, or within 25 yards of any other wildlife or nesting birds, or within any distance that disturbs or displaces wildlife or nesting birds is prohibited. 36 CFR § 1.5 (a)(2)

7. Failing to remove one self to the prescribed distances in non-developed areas during inadvertent or casual encounters with wildlife is prohibited. 36 CFR § 1.5 (a) (2)

18. This rule does not apply to inadvertent or casual encounters with wildlife in developed areas where normal foot traffic is required or essential or in other areas where there is no reasonable alternative travel route. The prohibitions in this paragraph do not apply to persons within a motor vehicle or hard sided building, in compliance with written protocol approved by the Superintendent, when directed by a park employee, or in accordance with a permit from the Superintendent or park personnel acting within the scope of approved management or research activities. 36 CFR § 1.5 (a)(2)

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

By the way, if you watch the video carefully you will see that someone threw a stick at the buffalo just at the time it got agitated. Quite the unexplained charge by an errant beast.

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Old Dude

These NPS videos have been posted before, but worth referencing again:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/safetyvideos.htm

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Frank Furter
This rule does not apply to inadvertent or casual encounters with wildlife in developed areas where normal foot traffic is required

I'd still stay away from bull elk on hormones even though they are all over Mammoth Hot Springs.

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eeek

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Frank Furter
This rule does not apply to inadvertent or casual encounters with wildlife in developed areas where normal foot traffic is required

I'd still stay away from bull elk on hormones even though they are all over Mammoth Hot Springs.

No argument. However, I have seen the elk charge vehicles more often than the pedestrians around Mammoth. Maybe carrying an ice cream cone is protective.

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Frank Furter

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eeek

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Frank Furter
This rule does not apply to inadvertent or casual encounters with wildlife in developed areas where normal foot traffic is required

I'd still stay away from bull elk on hormones even though they are all over Mammoth Hot Springs.

No argument. However, I have seen the elk charge vehicles more often than the pedestrians around Mammoth. Maybe carrying an ice cream cone is protective.

This one started looking at me with fire in his eyes. I quickly got back to the car and left.

I think to a bull on hormones a car looks more like a threat to mount a cow than some guy just walking around ice cream cone or no.

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Old Dude

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y_p_w
http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/07/22/dnt.buffalo.attack.ksl

One wonders what kind words she had for the guy who caused this.

Is this the innocent pair mentioned in eeek's first post in this thread?

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Old Dude