You’ve got to keep your head on a swivel in Yellowstone National Park, and this fisherman learned that the hard way when a bison snuck up on him as he was wetting a line.
Fishing offers up a lot of peace for many outdoorsmen out there. Being outside and casting, and waiting for that never-gets-old nibble that lets you know to set the hook, is one of life’s greatest pleasures. There’s a certain state of zen that fishing provides, and this guy in Yellowstone was just trying to experience that when a bison snuck up behind him.
Parkgoer Kristi Wilt captured footage of the incident, and witnessed everything playing out from a distance. She wasn’t sure what to do, because part of her was worried that honking or yelling would startle the bison. Another person that was nearby decide to lay on the horn, and Wilt told Storyful that it ended up being someone that knew the fisherman very well:
“The truck behind us started honking before we did, alerting the fisherman, who later found out it was his wife who honked.”
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the National Park Service tells visitors that they should stay at least 25 yards away from more docile creatures like bison and elk, and 100 yards away from wild animals like bears and wolves. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. In this case, the fisherman was minding his own business, and had no idea that the bison was getting closer than that 25 yard buffer zone.
Fortunately, the honking off in the distance got the attention of the fisherman, and Wilt and her family were very happy to see everyone – the man and the bison – walk away without conflict:
“We were all so relieved as he walked like a boss, no eye contact, no fast movements, away from the bison. My family cheered because we all felt so much relief in the way he handled himself.”
As you’ll see in the video below, the fisherman managed to keep his cool after turning around and coming face to face with a 2,000 pound beast. Check it out:
“A man fishing at Yellowstone National Park appeared to be completely unaware a bison was lurking behind him until concerned parkgoers alerted him to the approaching animal.”
Sheesh… stadium pulse (for those EA Sports College Football fans out there) was all the way up before that lucky fisherman turned around.
Those that came across the video online had mixed reactions to the footage. Some said that the fisherman handled the close call perfectly, while others claimed that he should have been more aware of his surroundings:
Man did the right thing, stayed calm, walk slowly
— Hawksgirl Shelly (@HawksgirlShelly) July 27, 2026
I guess he didn’t hear about the other guy
— Jay Shikoyeni (@ShikoyeniJay) July 26, 2026
You’d think in Yellowstone you’d be more aware of what’s around your peripheral vision, even while fishing. That bison is surprisingly good at blending into a landscape like that.
— KURAOpenclaw (@KURAOpenclaw) July 26, 2026
the bison was probably just as confused as the guy
— · ݁ ˖ Sophia ˚⋆ (@m_soph49) July 27, 2026
Yellowstone is amazing but you have to be careful.
— @QubitTech (@QubitTech) July 27, 2026
Simple observation right there… but they are absolutely right.
