second-yellowstone-national-park-visitor-gored-by-bison-in-three-days

Second Yellowstone National Park Visitor Gored by Bison in Three Days

The third incident in a month’s time, an elderly woman was just gored by a bison near Yellowstone National Park‘s Storm Point.

On Wednesday, June 29, another Yellowstone visitor was gored by a bison bull. The victim, a 71-year-old from West Chester, Pennsylvania, “inadvertently approached” the bull near Yellowstone Lake’s Storm Point, the park cites.

In their full media release to Outsider, Yellowstone reports the woman was with her daughter. The two sought to return to their vehicle at the nearby trailhead, causing the bison to charge.

The 71-year-old sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the encounter. Park officials would then transport her by ambulance to Cody, Wyoming’s West Park Hospital. Park officials continue to investigate the situation. There are no additional details available, as the situation is developing.

This is the third bison and visitor incident of 2022. All three bison goring encounters have happened within a month’s time. The first reported incident occurred on May 30 when a woman approached a bison near a Black Sand Basin boardwalk. On June 28, a man and his family approached a bison near a Giant Geyser boardwalk. Both injuries would also require transportation to local hospitals.

How To View Wildlife Safely in Yellowstone National Park, Including Bison

Yellowstone Park regulations require visitors to maintain a 25-yard, or 23-meter, distance from all large animals at all times. This includes bison, elk, bighorn sheep, moose, deer, and coyotes. Visitors are to keep a 100 yard, or 91 meter, distance from large predators: wolves, brown bears, and black bears.

As the park explains of bison:

  • Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous
  • Give bison space when they are near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area
    • If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity
  • Approaching bison threatens them and they may respond by bluff charging, head bobbing, pawing, bellowing, or snorting
    • These are warning signs that you are too close and that a charge is imminent
  • Do not stand your ground. Immediately walk or run away from the animal
    • Spray bear spray as you are moving away if the animal follows you
    • Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans

For more on Yellowstone park safety, see their NPS safety page here, and view Outsider’s extensive guide to Yellowstone wildlife. Stay safe out there, Outsiders, and never approach wildlife.