What To Do When Bison Attack In Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park

Things we talk about quite often in Wyoming.

• Be Bear Wise and know what to do if you encounter a bear.
• How to avoid starting a wildfire.
• What to do in the event of a wildfire.
• Have your boat loaded with safety gear.
• Get your boat inspected for aquatic invasive species.
• How to identify venomous snakes in Wyoming. (BTW, if it rattles, it's venomous)

Things we DON'T talk about enough in Wyoming.

What to do if you're being chased or stared down by a bison.

I know, right?

You're now thinking about the last time you were instructed on what to do if you're being stalked by a 1,000 lb bison. Especially at the end of July, August, or into September when the bison rut (mating season) is on.

The big news this week has been the poor gentleman and his grandson who were chased, and the older gentleman was tossed by a bison in Yellowstone. Usually when we hear a story like this, you roll your eyes and put them into the 'tourons' group, but in this situation, they were a good distance away, just taking pictures, and it seems the bison had had enough of the paparazzi.

What the heck should this man have done? He was in the campground when the bison came in, acting all big, and then went berserk. Obviously, if you get noticed by a bison and it starts acting aggressively toward you, your mind likely goes blank, and your fight-or-flight instinct kicks in.

According to the Yellowstone National Park website, if the bison "bluff charges" (acts like it's going to attack, but doesn't), starts bobbing its head, pawing or bellowing while staring you down, or raises its tail, that means it is irritated, and you need to begin moving away.

DO NOT STAND YOUR GROUND. 

If the bison starts to move toward you, get out of there. If you're carrying your bear spray (as you should be in the park), you can use that on bison (or any other animal that's threatening your life) as you're moving away. Put large objects between yourself and the large animal.

Enjoy the full experience of the park, but follow the safety guidelines and BE SAFE.