Yellowstone bison rut not for faint of heart, video shows

Yellowstone National Park on Sunday issued its annual reminder that the bison rut is underway, advising tourists to “use extra caution and give bison extra space during this time.”

If anyone wonders why they should be more careful at this time of year, watch the striking footage posted below. It shows a clearly dominant bison ramming and propelling a rival bison 30 feet off the highway.

(Remarkably, the upended bison managed to stay on its feet.)

Yellowstone used the footage in August 2020 to caution tourists about the rut, or mating season, which typically lasts from late July through August.

The video clip is titled, “Bison fight.”

Male bison vying for the right to mate with female bison are aggressive and agitated during the rut, but the iconic beats are always dangerous if not given space.

Park regulations mandate that tourists should remain at least 25 yards from bison and remain inside their vehicles if they encounter bison at close range on park roads.

This article by Pete Thomas was first published by For The Win on 19 August 2024. 

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