The number of bison attacks we’ve seen happen in 2022 in the United States is insane.
We saw three people get gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park in only one week, and several other close calls that could’ve ended quite badly.
With that being said, we can add yet another one to the list, with this one coming out of Custer State Park in Rapid City, South Dakota.
According to Dakota News Now, 19-year-old Amelia Dean traveled from the United Kingdom to the states to visit Custer State Park, when she was charged by a bison that ultimately resulted in her going to the hospital.
Amelia said from her hospital bed:
“It’s a surreal enough experience let alone the fact that we weren’t doing anything that really warranted it. We were just having a walk in the park.”
She was hiking with a friend and her friend’s dog when they came across the bison quite a good distance away.
Her father Matthew Dean relayed the story:
“They came over a hill and saw down in the dip, quite a way ahead of them, they saw a big, male bison.”
Low on water, the two carried on.
Amelia explained:
“I was really dehydrated, it was really sunny, and we’d both given our water to the dog like an hour ago.”
So, they continued on, trying their best to keep their distance from the bison. However, the bison still attacked anyways.
Jacqueline Dean, Amelia’s mother, weighed in on the scary incident:
“And suddenly the bison looked up. They were over 100 yards away and the bison just ran down the hill at her. It came right up and stopped in front of her and then apparently, they had a bit of eye contact for a few seconds.”
Amelia added:
“I could have put my hand out on his forehead without properly stretching it out completely fine.”
The bison then attacked Amelia, impaling her through the thigh and tossed her in the air about 10-15 feet.
“I remember feeling the pressure on my hip. My hip being pushed back and I remember the sensation of flying in the air and going head over heels.”
The damage severed her femoral artery, and it’s a miracle she didn’t die on the scene.
Jacqueline said:
“We’re told that people usually, you know, bleed out between 2 and 8 minutes and die, but she didn’t.”
Two of her nerves were damaged, leaving her paralyzed from the knee down in her leg.
Amelia explained:
“I have basically no movement in my foot. I can’t walk without a walker or crutches. I can’t walk very far, about 20 meters, and I’m done for a long time.”
They were initially connected with Dr. Robert Spinner from the Mayo Clinic, who specializes in peripheral nerve damage, however when insurance declined to cover it, the offer was withdrawn and the family’s hopes were dashed.
Nevertheless, the family is still in great spirts, as Jacqueline said:
“I really believe that God’s got a purpose for her and I know that sounds cheesy, but I believe God’s got a plan and purpose for her because it wasn’t her time to die.”
They also couldn’t say e nough nice things about the hospital staff, the state of South Dakota, and the park:
“We cannot praise the professional care that she’s had there, can we? And the kindness and the compassion. The care and compassion of the people of South Dakota.
Yes. Oh my gosh. The city should be so proud of itself.
I think I hope this doesn’t discourage people from traveling. Travel and explore and have fun. This is a freak accident this isn’t going to happen every time somebody walks in a park.”
That’s one helluva positive attitude… get well soon Amelia.
Bison Charges Biker, Throws Her Around At Custer State Park
Here we go again…
I’m not exactly sure what people think they’re approaching when they walk up to a bison, but these aren’t docile dairy cows. They’re nearly 2,000 lb trucks with horns on them that think nothing of running you clean into the ground if you get too close.
We saw a 9-year-old girl get air mailed (she was fine though) after her parents got too close (way to go dad), we saw an elderly lady get gored at Yellowstone after she tried to pet a bison, yes PET A BISON.
It should go without saying, but don’t try and put a bison people. And finally, we saw a woman barely escape a goring when she tripped over her own feet in Yellowstone.
And yet, we now have ANOTHER video of woman getting railroaded by a bison in South Dakota.
According to New York Post, the woman (and her group of motorcyclists) were riding through Custer State Park in South Dakota, when they stopped to get a picture of a the herd.
The women (like an idiot) approached a bison calf and naturally mama bison did what protective parents do when strangers approach their children… she attacked.
The woman narrowly missed a goring as the horn caught the belt loop on her pants… you imagine what happened next.
Yup, mama bison swung her around like a rag doll until her pants came off, and she wound up laying on the side of the road, pantsless and unconscious.
She was airlifted to a local hospital with a concussion, however she is expected to recover.
The good news though? They recovered her pants from the bison…
Bison do not like bikers though.
