Officials in Yellowstone National Park say a Massachusetts man was gored by a bull bison that threw him 10 feet in the air and then pinned him to the ground.My son is studying to be a park ranger, and in his classes they've talked about how some people go to National Parks thinking they were built by Disney and lawyers and they can't get hurt. At Yellowstone, the bison don't break into song like they do on the wall at Bear Country Jamboree. They're wild and potentially very dangerous. Not even your State Farm agent can help you if for some reason the thing gets mad at you (despite what you see on TV commercials).
The man, who is in his mid-50s, suffered a broken collarbone, shoulder blade, several ribs and a groin injury in Saturday’s encounter near the Norris campground. He was airlifted to an Idaho Falls, Idaho hospital and is expected to recover. His name was not released.
Park officials say the man was not taunting the animal, but let the bull approach within a few feet of where he was sitting and refused to move away.
Park rules require visitors to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from all other animals. If an animal approaches, it is the visitor’s responsibility to move a safe distance away.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Well, He'll Have a Vacation Story to Tell
Bison are not just big friendly shaggy cows:
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2 comments:
Ya can't bluff a buff.
Back in the mid 1990's, I was a charter motorcoach tour driver affiliated with some of the (then) largest tour operators in the United States. One passenger from the UK, if I recall correctly, was on my three week Western Discovery tour, touring the western US and western Canada. One of the stops along the way was Yellowstone National Park.
As we entered the park, the tour guide mentioned to his entourage the necessity of staying 100 feet - two motorcoach lengths - away from the buffalo and elk herds, which were quite thick that Fall. One passenger insisted on getting out of the coach to take some pictures "up close." He was one of a few to venture out that day like this. You guessed it. . . he came back faster than greased lightning due to the charging of one of the bison! We henceforth nicknamed him "Stormin' Norman" after Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf, the then famous US General of Persian Gulf War fame.
His morning greeting at breakfast became, "Norman, is *that* you?" (with friends showing him running for his life away from the bison that day) Such funnin' by the entourage touring with him. Quite the fun group! He really took a ribbing.
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