bison

Recent Posts

Woman injured by bison in Yellowstone

A woman in Yellowstone National Park was injured by a bison Wednesday afternoon, but declined to be taken for additional medical care. Park officials did not release full details of the incident, but said the woman approached too close to the bison, within 25 yards, somewhere in the Upper Geyser Basin, which is home to Old Faithful. The incident remains under investigation, and is the first bison-related injury of the year. Yellowstone opened Monday for the season, offering only restrooms and self-service gasoline, with no overnight accommodations. Park emergency medical providers responded to the incident immediately, according to a statement released by the park’s public affairs office. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , ,

Government report advises Yellowstone visitors against bison selfies

Visitors to Yellowstone National Park risk injury when allowing bison or other wildlife to approach within 25 yards. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate - click to enlarge)

People visiting Yellowstone National Park this summer should follow some simple advice to avoid being injured by wildlife: keep your distance, and no bison selfies. That's the conclusion of a report issued this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that examined five separate incidents leading to injuries caused by bison in the park last summer. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , , ,

Wyoming man makes eight bison coats for Tarantino’s ‘Hateful Eight’

Actor Kurt Russell appears in the upcoming film "The Hateful Eight" wearing a bison hide coat created by Merlin Heinze of Thermopolis, Wyo.

The holiday season is a key sales period for retailers across the country, but Christmas Day marks a major milestone for one Wyoming small business. That's when "The Hateful Eight" hits movie screens, offering audiences an extended look at a custom bison coat created by Thermopolis native Merlin Heinze. Actor Kurt Russell will be wearing the enormous winter jacket in the Quentin Tarantino western set in Wyoming during the 1870s. The story follows a bounty hunter played by Russell, who must wait out a blizzard along with seven other nefarious characters packed together in a cramped stagecoach stop. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

U.S. Mint to release commemorative Yellowstone dollar coin in 2016

The design for a new coin commemorating the National Park Service centennial (left) is similar to a Yellowstone National Park quarter (right) issued in 2010.

In a preview of what is sure to be a diverse range of events and promotions next year celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the U.S. Mint on Thursday released designs for three new coins, including one featuring Yellowstone National Park. The commemorative coin designs were showed off at a Washington, D.C. ceremony at the Department of Interior attended by Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis and U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios. Designed to help fund more than 400 national park units around the country, the coins will be marketed to collectors and park supporters willing to pay a premium for them. Proceeds go to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. “When fully realized, the potential impact derived from the commemorative coin sales will be tremendous,” National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth said in a statement released by the U.S. Mint. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , , ,

Yellowstone stresses wildlife safety during fall

Yellowstone National Park officials are reminding visitors to keep their distance from elk and other wildlife as fall approaches.

Following a summer that brought at lest five visitor injuries resulting from getting too close to bison, as well as the death of a hiker from an encounter with a mother grizzly and cubs, officials in Yellowstone National Park are stressing safety around wildlife as the fall season approaches. As summer winds down and cooler temperatures start to spread across the high country of Yellowstone, some wildlife in the park begin migrating, while others stock up on extra food to pack on the pounds before winter. Elk begin their fall rut, and will soon be vying for the attention of the females by bugling and sparing with other males. In many areas of the park, but especially around Mammoth Hot Springs, the bull elk become more aggressive toward both people and vehicles, and can be a threat to both people and property, according to a statement released by the park’s public affairs office. Elk damage several vehicles every year, and on occasion charge and injure visitors. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

Woman injured by Yellowstone bison while taking photos

Visitors to Yellowstone National Park risk injury when allowing bison or other wildlife to approach within 25 yards. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate - click to enlarge)

A 43-year-old woman from Mississippi received minor injuries Tuesday when she turned her back on a bison to pose for a photo with it near the Fairy Falls trailhead in Yellowstone National Park. She is the fifth person injured after approaching bison this season. The woman and her daughter were by the trailhead sign when they decided to take a picture with a bison that was approximately 6 yards away from them near the trail. When they turned their backs to the bison to take the picture, someone warned that they were too close Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , ,

2 more Yellowstone visitors injured by bison

The National Park Service issues bright yellow flyers warning of bison gorings to every Yellowstone National Park visitor at entry. (NPS image - click to enlarge)

In recent separate incidents, two people were injured after getting too close to bison, bringing the total to four injured so far this summer in bison encounters. The first of the two recent encounters occurred on June 23 when an off-duty concession employee came upon a bison while walking off trail after dark in the Lower Geyser Basin area. The second incident occurred July 1, when a visitor encountered a bison while hiking the Storm Point trail in the Yellowstone Lake area. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , ,

Second injury from Yellowstone bison in three weeks highlights safety challenges

Visitors to Yellowstone National Park risk injury when allowing bison or other wildlife to approach within 25 yards. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate - click to enlarge)

A 62-year-old Australian man sustained serious injuries Tuesday morning after an encounter with a bison near Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. The man, whose name was not released by park authorities, is the second visitor in less than three weeks to suffer a serious injury after a close encounter with a bison near Old Faithful geyser. While it is not uncommon for park visitors to be injured by bison or other wildlife, officials from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks have commented recently about what they say is a growing challenge in educating international visitors about the danger of wild animals. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , ,

Yellowstone visitor injured by bison

A group of bison graze and rest near the roadside south of Madison in Yellowstone National Park in August 2013.

A girl visiting Yellowstone National Park sustained serious injuries Friday after being gored by a bison. The 16-year-old Taiwanese exchange student was visiting the Upper Geyser Basin with her host family. While hiking near Old Faithful Geyser, the family joined a group of people watching a bison grazing adjacent to the trail. According to first hand reports, the group was somewhere between three and six feet from the bison. The girl turned her back to the bison to have her picture taken when the bison gored her. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , ,

Video captures Yellowstone bison ramming parked vehicle

A video screen capture shows a bison in Yellowstone National Park as it rams a parked vehicle in the Lamar Valley.

Two frequent visitors to Yellowstone National Park ended up on the losing end of a close encounter with a lumbering bison last month when the agitated beast rammed their parked sport utility vehicle. The unexpected collision was captured on video, and the footage has gone viral, as it shows the amazing power of Yellowstone's 2,000-pound behemoths. Continue Reading →

Filed under: , , , , , , ,