How To Avoid Death By Bison On Your Montana Vacation

Best Bet For Safety In A National Park? Follow The Posted Rules.

It's that time of the year, Montana.  It's tourist goring season in Yellowstone Park.  My life in Montana and Travel Experience Live have some suggestions I'd like to pass along.  Remember, Yellowstone is a NATIONAL PARK, not a petting zoo.

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How To Avoid Being Killed Or Injured By A Bison

• Don't go near them.  This is the very best way to avoid death or injury by Bison.  The standard is stay 25 yards away, I say more.  A Bison can run 35 MPH.

• Never walk through a meadow if Bison are there.  Same can be said for hiking between an adult or calf.  You REALLY don't want to do that.
• If Bison are in the road, stay in your car.

• Consider when you're visiting.  In May and June there are a lot of baby bison, and their mothers are in NO MOOD for you to be near them.  In July and August it's mating season.  Talk about testosterone overload.

Survival Of The Fittest: Grizzly-VS-Bison in Yellowstone National Park

Know If A Bison Has Set Their Sights On You

• If they're clearly looking at you, you need to back away slowly and leave the area.  Don't run.  For the love of God, don't run.

• Other warning signs: snorting, shaking their head, charging "fake outs", pawing the ground, and raising its tail.

You're Being Charged

• You can't do the "make yourself look big" thing and make lots of noise with Bison.  They're never going to fall for that.  Ever.
• Find cover.  Run behind a tree or up a tree, behind an outhouse or behind a car.  I sure hope your car isn't your only cover.  HOWEVER, we did tell you the simple way to avoid this from happening, and still, here you are.

The Moral Of This Story

In reality, Bison are just one of the wild animals that have a home in Montana.  They don't care if you've been saving to see Yellowstone for years, if you just bought/are renting a car, don't mean any harm to them, or if you live or die.  Natural selection is their entire life.  Approaching a bison=Survival of the fittest.  Pro tip:  They're fitter. It's best to enjoy them from a distance and take a lot of pictures.