Man arrested after allegedly kicking bison, getting injured in Yellowstone

(NewsNation) — An Idaho man was arrested on alcohol-related charges after allegedly kicking a bison at Yellowstone National Park.

According to the park, Chance Yoder, 40, approached a herd of bison and kicked one in the leg. Unsurprisingly, the bison was not thrilled about being kicked, and Yoder was mildly injured.

Rangers arrested Yoder on charges of being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct as to create or maintain a hazardous condition, approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife.

Yoder was traveling with another person, 37-year-old McKenna Bass, who was driving the vehicle. Bass has been charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to emergency light activation, and disturbing wildlife.

Rangers at Yellowstone advise people to stay at least 25 feet away from bison and other large animals and at least 100 feet away from bears and wolves. While the animals are not typically aggressive toward humans, that does not make them safe. Bison can be unpredictable, like any other wild animal, and can run three times as fast as humans.

Yoder's injury is the first this year, but as the summer season begins, Yellowstone and other parks typically report injuries or deaths as a result of people approaching wildlife too closely or venturing off safely marked trails into dangerous areas of parks.

In 2023, a woman was gored after a bison charged at her though it's not known how close she was to the animal. In 2022, a woman who got within 10 feet of a bison was also gored. In both cases, the women sustained severe injuries.

Tourists getting too close to animals or venturing onto dangerous ground near hot springs and geysers isn't new, with incidents dating all the way back to the park's founding in 1872. Injuries and deaths often occur when people seeking a great vacation photo venture too close to the scalding water or approach a wild animal.

The consequences aren't just for the humans involved, either. In 2023, a man was fined for picking up a bison calf that had separated from its herd. The herd then rejected the calf, which had to be euthanized.

For National Parks visitors, the agency reminds summer visitors that wildlife is best enjoyed from a safe distance.