Man accused of kicking bison in Yellowstone National Park is injured by animal then arrested on alcohol charges

A man who kicked a bison in the leg was later injured by the bison in Yellowstone National Park, according to park officials, marking the first time a visitor was injured by one of the emblematic animals of the park this year.

Park rangers arrested and jailed Clarence Yoder, 40, after he was treated for minor injuries, officials said Monday.

Rangers received a call about the man who allegedly harassed a herd of bison and kicked one about seven miles from the park’s west entrance on April 21. Authorities have not revealed how the bison injured the man or whether it attempted to gore him.

Rangers arrested Yoder in a car driven by another person near West Yellowstone, Montana, Yellowstone officials said in a statement Monday.

Park officials did not describe the injuries the bison inflicted on Yoder. He was charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct and approaching and disturbing wildlife.

His 37-year-old companion, McKenna Bass, was charged with driving under the influence, refusing to yield to a police car and disturbing wildlife.

The two men from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court on April 22.

Bison are the largest land mammals in North America, with bulls weighing up to 2,000 pounds. Despite their size, bison can sprint up to 40 mph. They regularly injure tourists who get too close.

Yellowstone officials urge people to stay at least 25 yards away from any large wildlife in the park.

Some Yellowstone facilities began opening their doors for the busy summer season last week, a process that will continue through June.

Park officials said this was the first reported incident of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. The last reported incident occurred on July 17, 2023 when a 47-year-old man the woman was gored by one of the animals and suffered serious injuries to the chest and abdomen.

Three incidents were reported in 2022, including one when a woman came within 10 feet of a bison before the animal gored her and I threw it 10 feet in the air. The 25-year-old woman, from Grove City, Ohio, suffered a puncture wound and other injuries.

Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times.