Yellowstone tourist sneaks past bison; would you react differently?

The U.S. Department of the Interior last week issued a reminder that the bison rut is underway and urged visitors on public lands to give the massive animals space.

“No matter what time of year, always stay further than 25 yards away!” the agency cautioned via social media.

It reminded me of a situation I witnessed in Yellowstone National Park last May, when a woman encountered a large bison feeding only feet from a boardwalk as she walked toward the parking lot at the Petrified Tree.

Her male companion solved his dilemma by climbing through the fence and walking down a steep embankment to the lot. But the woman, after climbing through the fence, seemed more afraid of the hill than being trampled by the bison.

As the video shows, she chose to climb back through the fence and onto the boardwalk, without making eye contact with the bison, and hurry toward the lot.

This was not during the bison rut, but it’s always dangerous to be this close to animals that can weigh 2,000 pounds, run 30 mph, and jump five feet over fences. (Yellowstone regulations require tourists to remain at least 25 yards from bison and elk.)

But precarious situations, usually made so by foolish tourists, play out almost daily in Yellowstone. Thankfully, bison and other large animals are generally tolerant unless they feel threatened.