Bison bull feeding with the Great Salt Lake in the background – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 271mm, natural light
I photographed this bison bull feeding peacefully yesterday out on Antelope Island State Park with the Great Salt Lake in the background.
I mentioned “peacefully” because later in the day I watched as a man; in red pants, bothered a Bison bull by getting too close to it and then saw the Bison bull charge him and stop just short of trampling the man. The man didn’t have a car, he was riding a bicycle so he had no protection from the bison at all. Unbelievably after the man ran away from the charging bull and the bison settling down… the guy approached him again.
Not smart, not smart at all. Those bison may look tame while they are grazing but they are 1500 pounds of wild and very unpredictable animals. With sharp hooves.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Bison photos plus facts and information about this species.
Great image Mia.
Thanks Dan!
One of the best Bison shot from yours I’ve seen. I like the light and eye contact.
Thank you Maria!
A magnificent creature, beautifully photographed! It’s a shame the man in the red pants felt the need to disturb this handsome bison.
Thanks Julie, it was a shame that the guy felt the need to bother the Bison.
I’m sure the dude will be up for a Darwin Award in no time. Sweet shot.
Steve, maybe I should design a Darwin Award and print it on paper, then I could hand it out to those whom I believe deserve it!
Wonderful photo! I’ve witnessed a herd of female and juvenile buffalo gather together and charge 3 men on bicycles in Custer State Park, in S Dakota. Perhaps they don’t like bicycles! Not that the man wasn’t being incredibly dumb…seen plenty of that too with the tourists in CSP. OY!
Jann, I am stumped by people who think that just because an animal is in a “park” that they aren’t wild. I’m so glad this guy didn’t get trampled in front of us especially since it might have meant that the Bison would be put down. I’m sure you see lots of this in SD too!
Great photo. The startling part of your story to me, is that his plan for the day must have included a process where he thought ‘I will go look at the bison, so I had better wear these red pants’.
The event was startling Stu, it amazes me how many visitors to Antelope Island will approach these Bison so close and don’t seem to realize that they are wild animals that can trample them to death. And the red pants, what was this guy thinking???
Hmmm… I see no red material hanging from its mouth. Maybe next time. 🙂 Gorgeous photo, Mia!
Thanks Tami!
Big and beautiful. Brilliant photography.
Thank you very much Bob!