Man accused of kicking bison at Yellowstone lands in jail on alcohol charge
The National Park Service said this was the first reported incident of a national park visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. The last incident was reported on July 17, 2023, when a woman was gored by a bison.
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A video shot by wildlife photographer Michael Sypniewski captures the moment a baby bison was nearly brought down by wolves. (Courtesy: @michaelwsyp / Instagram)(Video from June 2023)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – An Idaho man visiting Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming ended up in jail after he was injured when he approached a bison and kicked it while under the influence of alcohol, the National Park Service (NPS) said.
According to a news release, rangers responded to a report of a man who was harassing a herd of bison and kicked one in the leg about 7 miles east of the park's west entrance on April 21.
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Watch: Tourist takes selfie next to bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
A video shot on May 20 shows a woman standing next to a bison as she took a picture in Biscuit Basin. (Courtesy: Storyful)(Video from June 2023)
Rangers eventually spotted the suspect's vehicle near the West Entrance of the national park and stopped it in West Yellowstone, Montana.
Clarence Yoder, 40, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was arrested and charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as McKenna Bass, 37, of Idaho Falls, was also arrested and was charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to emergency light activation and disturbing wildlife.
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A nervous nurse is heard in a video saying
Officials didn't describe the injuries Yoder sustained from the bison, but he was taken to a nearby medical facility, where he was treated and released before being taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center.
Both Yoder and Bass appeared in court on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charges. If found guilty, each violation can result in a fine of $5,000 and six months in jail.
The incident remains under investigation.
The NPS said this was the first reported incident of a national park visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. The last incident was reported on July 17, 2023, when a woman was gored by a bison.
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Stay away, stay safe
Yellowstone works to protect wildlife as tourists flock to iconic national park
Tourists flocking to a beloved national park are starting the summer off by breaking the rules over wildlife interactions. Several stories of attempts to take selfies with bison, picking up a bison calf and moving it, and the latest, driving an elk calf to a police station, have gone viral, prompting Yellowstone to issue a statement asking the public to act responsibly. FOX Weather's Robert Ray is at the park with a look at what's to be done to protect both man and beast.
The National Park Service says the best way to stay safe while observing wildlife is to give the animals plenty of room to move.
The NPS says many parks require you to stay at least 25 yards away from wildlife and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves.
During mating season, which runs from mid-July through mid-August, the NPS says bison can become agitated more quickly, and visitors are warned to use extra caution and give them additional space during that time.