Bison are extremely territorial, and have awful eyesight. People forget that they’re literally bulls. The same bulls that famously charge and gore people for being too close to their bullpen. The same bulls that have entire arenas designed for a trained person to fight them. People will see a bull amongst a herd of cattle, and recognize that he will fuck their shit up just for being too near the herd. They’ll respect the animal, because they know he’s going to be territorial.
But apparently all of that goes out the window when people are around bison. Bison are territorial towards basically anything even remotely as tall as they are. And they have awful eyesight, so they tend to interpret people as territorial threats. They’re also the size of a fucking sedan, and can easily outrun a person in a short sprint.
The dude in this video only lasted as long as he did because he wisely used the trees as cover. He used the bison’s size against it, by hiding between the trees where the bison couldn’t easily charge directly at him. But he was stuck in the smaller saplings, while the bison was able to just charge straight through them. His best bet likely would have been to stick near the larger trees, where he could at least keep using them as cover.
There was a car blasting it's horn to get a reaction from the bison which is why it got pissed, I heard, when it couldn't get the car it decided to go for the nearest other people.
As a note, from what I've found online: the two were well beyond the recommended distance to stay away from bison (it was 3-4x IIRC); but unfortunately, it was rutting season and they can get extra aggressive during that time
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.
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.
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'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
As someone who has been in a scenario in which my adrenaline surged in a life or death situation but failed to lift something heavy: your muscles are not magically going to give you extra fibres you dont have.
My exact scenario: working as a glazier, and a slate of glass vertically landed on a workmates foot, another guy managed to pick up the corner of the slate with his hands. Failure to lift the glass would split the glass and result in a guillotine of 3mm float.
Despite my best effort I could not lift the corner of the slate using a suction grip.
There's more to this story. I believe the old guy was protecting his grandson or something like that. Someone in one of the vehicles was blowing their horn that agitated the bison. The tourists were actually a safe distance away up until the bison got irritated
50 replies
How is he?
Probably a bit angry that that guy was there, but he'll be fine after eating some grass.
I thought it was going to be one of those videos where people are being jerks to the animal but nope
Bison are extremely territorial, and have awful eyesight. People forget that they’re literally bulls. The same bulls that famously charge and gore people for being too close to their bullpen. The same bulls that have entire arenas designed for a trained person to fight them. People will see a bull amongst a herd of cattle, and recognize that he will fuck their shit up just for being too near the herd. They’ll respect the animal, because they know he’s going to be territorial.
But apparently all of that goes out the window when people are around bison. Bison are territorial towards basically anything even remotely as tall as they are. And they have awful eyesight, so they tend to interpret people as territorial threats. They’re also the size of a fucking sedan, and can easily outrun a person in a short sprint.
The dude in this video only lasted as long as he did because he wisely used the trees as cover. He used the bison’s size against it, by hiding between the trees where the bison couldn’t easily charge directly at him. But he was stuck in the smaller saplings, while the bison was able to just charge straight through them. His best bet likely would have been to stick near the larger trees, where he could at least keep using them as cover.
There was a car blasting it's horn to get a reaction from the bison which is why it got pissed, I heard, when it couldn't get the car it decided to go for the nearest other people.
Did you see the way they looked at the bison?!
As a note, from what I've found online: the two were well beyond the recommended distance to stay away from bison (it was 3-4x IIRC); but unfortunately, it was rutting season and they can get extra aggressive during that time
American news, in metric? Delicious.
Sorry, 2.3% of a football field, or 25 hamburgers
Big Macs or whoppers?
Royale with cheese
The cheese adds a bit of width. Thanks for the clarity!
Joke's on you, that's a metric burger
American, french, german, nordic, japanese, chinese or maybe russian hamburgers? Sizes do differ a lot.
The reference was clearly to American units
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.
I saw a video explainer. Apparently the truck honked a bunch of times and that upset the bison.
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.
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!”
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'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
There's more to this story
My monkey brain tree climbing instincts are screaming in languages I don't even know.
Not when you're 60
Adrenaline is a hell of a drug
So is methamphetamine, but its not going to make you a squirrel at 60
Idk, people have managed to lift cars after adrenaline surges. A tree with low branches seems more plausible than that
As someone who has been in a scenario in which my adrenaline surged in a life or death situation but failed to lift something heavy: your muscles are not magically going to give you extra fibres you dont have.
My exact scenario: working as a glazier, and a slate of glass vertically landed on a workmates foot, another guy managed to pick up the corner of the slate with his hands. Failure to lift the glass would split the glass and result in a guillotine of 3mm float.
Despite my best effort I could not lift the corner of the slate using a suction grip.
Mr. Bison doesn't abide voyeurs taking his picture without consent.
I feel like there is an M. Bison joke here somewhere, but I can't put it together.
Yeah, I had the same thought, but my knowledge of the character is too shallow to come up with something clever.
Especially while taking a (dirt) bath
Man: 3,773,524,676
Buffalo: 28
Second word in the title: bison
You: Buffalo
How are you this dumb?
Bison*
Bye, son.
What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
::: spoiler spoiler You can't wash your hands in a buffalo. :::
This one has been making the rounds on the internet. I wonder what made the Bison do that.
There's more to this story. I believe the old guy was protecting his grandson or something like that. Someone in one of the vehicles was blowing their horn that agitated the bison. The tourists were actually a safe distance away up until the bison got irritated
It’s rutting season for Bison. They get very territorial in the summer
Ahh! Thank you!
Have you met people? People are the worst. I'd do that to people too if I were a bison.
“I’m sorry! I should’ve asked first!”
Ask for consent first!!