25 replies to this topic

[Bill 007]

Here is a video link from National Parks Traveler and the NPS site showing what happens when you forget to bring your common sense to a National Park. It would be funny if it weren't so tragically true.

Just click on your internet connection type and watch the tourons.

Animal Safety Videos

Bill

[B-Jay]

Ya mean I can't reach out and pet those big furry bison when I'm in Yellowstone in June? Aw, shucks!

B-Jay

[Bill 007]

Ya mean I can't reach out and pet those big furry bison when I'm in Yellowstone in June? Aw, shucks!

B-Jay

Sure ya can! Just be quick about it.

Bill

[misssilly]

I've seen the bison video. Wow. And they seem to tame...

Jen

[waterrat]

My last trip to Yellowstone (1991) all of the bison in the park save a few stragglers had gathered in Hayden Valley. Thousands of them, along with their calves. I was dumbstruck by the number of people walking out among them, with tiny children, even babies. Grace of God is the only thing I can come up with as to why there weren't many people gored and/or trampled.

[Larry]

Some of those folks---like the mother with the little kids----are clear candidates for the Darwin Awards.


Larry

[Gojhawks]

I mentioned this incident last fall after my Yellowstone trip, but will post it again. It is more about how unpredictable the animals are, than turon behavior. Dad and I were eating lunch at one of picnic areas in Yellowstone. I looked up to see a large bull bison standing in the road blocking traffic, as they often do. As I watched, he ambled into the meadow just below our picnic area and started grazing. Seeing a perfect photo opportunity I went to the SUV to get my camera, long zoom and tripod. I got the gear out, turned around and the bison was standing no more than 10 yds from me. There was an all too small tree between he and I. I was so close I could not get a shot as I had my 200-500mm zoom. He initially was looking away from me. About that time he swung his head towards me and started backing around the tree. I backed around the SUV and watched him walk around the SUV, heading in my general direction, and towards Dad, who had just got up from the picnic table. He walked right between us and kept going. My heart was of course thundering in my ears. That was way too close an encounter for my taste. I got off one shot as he headed away. I don't know if the bluriness was his motion or my hands shaking:


As for elk in RMNP, I could go on and on about the stupdity I have seen shown by people around them.

[Larry]

Nice buff shot.
You can exhale now.

Larry

[John]

Wow!

[jflo]

I can hardly believe the lack of respect for wildlife people have. Those people were probably less than 20 feet away from that bison! And there was a lady and a little child that seemed to be the closest. Amazing stupidity!!!

People forget that we are a visitor in THEIR home, not the other way around. Man! that was an Elk Gone Wild!!!

Thanks for the link 00!!

[SandyM]

Holy cazoli!

SandyM

[harpyeagle44]

well, I thought the elk one chasing the cars was ...um.....funny. Hey he is just chasing away potential rivals to his harem (at least in the elks mind). I guess some vehicles will need some new paint jobs.

Kevin

Tourons, always a good laugh

I guess these people dont understand the word "WILD". ughh

[harpyeagle44]

Do these tourons think that they are "wildlife photographers"?

Kevin

[SamT]

We were visiting yellowstone last june and got closer than expected to a bison. Driving a side road, turned a corner and this fellow was scratching his horns on a tree. I snapped a couple shots from the car, I stopped a ways back because he was only a few feet from the road. Wait a minute or two and he wandered back into the brush.

[Rhonda]

Those bison surprised me how fast they can move when they put their minds to it.

You can hardly go to Yellowstone without having a close encounter with one or more on the road. I remember creeping through some that were sauntering along down the middle of the road and they didn't give us even a glance, but walking up to one in an open area, that is beyond stupid.

After all, it IS "tourist season!"