Man rammed against a fence by a bison

[The Silver Thong]

I would tend to agree with that.

As a kid we would take short cuts through farmers feilds and the damn cows would charge us for just looking at them.

[Lilly]

Actually, Lilly, while you are correct in saying that often they turn for reasons unknown to us, it is impossible for you to definitively state that they always turn for a reason. Primal instinct to kill could kick in, yet this is not a 'reason' for the animal to turn, it is merely an explanation of what has happened.

Well, bison are herbivores and don't possess the prey drive that carnivores have. That said, various explanations may very well suffice to be what motivates an animal to turn. I honestly think most living things do things for a reason, even if said reason doesn't make much/any sense to us humans.

[The Silver Thong]

I have never been bitten or attacked by any animal and plenty have been distressed, prodded and poked and had every reason to want to bite somebody. I'll take my experience over a bunch of crap on the Internet which couldn't have more crap on it if it tried.

I will take it your experience is very limited.

I had to take care of some 10 or so domesticated Canada geese one year and damn those things hate people.

Edited March 31, 2013 by The Silver Thong

[Lilly]

I'd say that domestic animals treated in animal clinics are far less likely to turn on humans simply because they are domesticated. Wild animals are another thing altogether...wild animals will attack humans based on something as simple as you being in their territory. Bears are known for this type of territorial attack. Mountain lions have been known to actually stalk and hunt humans. All in all, wild animals can be very dangerous...best to give them a wide berth and be highly alert when you're in their world.

[The Silver Thong]

I wouldn't call nearly a decade "very limited". And how do these surverys and studies work anyhow? By asking whoever was bitten if they provoked an attack, I'll bet most wouldn't own up to it or don't even realise they were provocative.

So you are 10 or nearly a decade old then. Most if not of all species are not domesticated so when even looked at will take a defensive posture. I suggest before you put your all animals don`t hurt me theory to the test you stay indoors.

[The Silver Thong]

Barely understood a word. I'm 25 and started working with animals when I was 16, still do. And not just domesticated, either. The fact remains that animals do not attack for no reason. I already said that it's a different kettle of fish with wild animals; they will attack over territory, parental protection or just because they're hungry. And guess what... if they are also provoked. A lot of wild animals are shy to humans, save the very big ones, and will sooner run away before they go on the attack. Some people just like to play victim, you taunt a wild animal that knows it can kick your ass, and you'll probably regret it.

Just keepin ya on your toes there Your right most animals do have a instinct and a fear of humans as they should. Thats why this bison took a go at this fellow, it feared him.

[pallidin]

Just keepin ya on your toes there Your right most animals do have a instinct and a fear of humans as they should. Thats why this bison took a go at this fellow, it feared him.

Nah, it just wanted his drugs.

[Sakari]

I am waiting to see Evancj's reply......He has professinol quality pics in the trail cam thread, all from Utah, including Bison......

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=183599&st=915#entry4710277

Although, he knows what he is doing with nature...

I still want to see what he has to say, considering he lives there, and does this every day.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Sakari

[evancj]

It doesn't.

But in another article is says this -

"He was trying to direct a buffalo that had wandered off onto the race path back to its enclosure when the animal charged him."

http://news.softpedi...rk-341387.shtml

I think it's safe to say the bison was unpredictable and could have mistaken the guy's intentions as a threat. That said we don't really know for sure if that were the case, but at the end of the day it doesn't alter the fact that the bison pinned the guy against a fence (for whatever reason) and the guy is very lucky to still be alive.

There is no enclosure. The buffalo are truly wild and free to roam the entire island as they please. The fence you are seeing is at the north end of the island where all the big badass bulls hang out. The Sate built the fence to temporally contain the bison for a few days a year for the annual roundup to thin the herd, otherwise the gates are open all year round.

Instead of killing the animals to thin the herd they capture some of them to release into other wild herds around the country. This is the herd that helped save the species from going extinct in the U.S.. A rancher who owned the island in the 1800's thought it might be a good idea to release some bison on the island because he thought they might go extinct.

Here is a link for info on the race, folks sign up to run the trails on the island knowing they may encounter the animals. And this is the first time that I am aware of that some idiot has got himself hurt.

http://www.buffalorun.org/

I don't know what this guy was thinking...probably that he could herd it like a cow is my guess.

There are a few things you DO NOT DO around these animals. My guess is this guy broke all of them.

and the first on the list is,

• Don't even think you can tell them what to do, or worse try to make them do something.
  
• Do not act aggressive towards them.
  
• Give them plenty of room.
  
• Look as submissive as possible (no eye contact), do not directly approach them.
  
• Show respect.
  

And none of these rules are a guaranty of a safe encounter, so always have an escape route, and not a fence at your back.

I have been visiting the island for years and never had one act aggressively towards me...yet, knock on wood (raps on head with fist). I bet I even know the bull in the photo, he always hangs out next to that fence, alone, near the beach. In fact here's a photo of him I took a couple of months ago, note the open gate in my photo, and the open gate in photo in the link SW provided.

Edited March 31, 2013 by evancj

[Sakari]

There is no enclosure. The buffalo are truly wild and free to roam the entire island as they please. The fence you are seeing is at the north end of the island where all the big badass bulls hang out. The Sate built the fence to temporally contain the bison for a few days for the annual thinning of the herd, and to ensure they are healthy, otherwise the gates are open all year round.

Instead of killing the animals to thin the herd they capture some of them to release into other wild herds around the country. This is the herd that helped save the species from going extinct in the U.S.. A rancher who owned the island in the 1800's thought it might be a good idea to release some bison on the island because he thought they might go extinct.

Here is a link for info on the race, folks sign up to run the trails on the island knowing they may encounter the animals. And this is the first time that I am aware of that some idiot has got himself hurt.

http://www.buffalorun.org/

I don't know what this guy was thinking...probably that he could herd it like a cow is my guess.

There are a few things you DO NOT DO around these animals;

and the first on the list is,

• Don't even think you can tell them what to do.
  
• Do not act aggressive towards them.
  
• Give them plenty of room.
  
• Look as submissive as possible (no eye contact), do not directly approach them.
  
• Show respect.
  

And none of these rules are a guaranty of a safe encounter, so always have an escape route, and not a fence at your back.

I have been visiting the island for years and never had one act aggressively towards me...yet, knock on wood (raps on head with fist). I bet I even know the bull in the photo, he always hangs out next to that fence alone near the beach. In fact here's a photo of him I took a couple of months ago, note the open gate in my photo, and the open gate in photo in the link SW provided.

I new you would show up

[Goddess_Lilith]

Idk why this made me laugh. Oh ya I do, its because incredibly stupid people are funny sometimes.

[Sakari]

Idk why this made me laugh. Oh ya I do, its because incredibly stupid people are funny sometimes.

Read the post before yours, it is from a local there

[Goddess_Lilith]

Read the post before yours, it is from a local there

I did...and it just validated the fact that he was incredibly stupid. Why would anyone go into that area where the aggressive bulls are known to be and think nothing at all might happen? So weird that an aggressive wild animal would do something like that, I would have NEVER seen that coming....

[Sundew]

Once while driving through the midwest I saw a most unusual sight: a man behind a fenced in field, working on something and right next to him, a full grown bison. Outside the fence was another man, a little girl and a large billboard about Jesus. The scene was so odd I had to stop to talk to the man. He told me he had raised the bison from a calf and that it was "tame". However when he try to touch its horns it kept pushing his hand away with a head butt. He said it could be "ornery". While it was certainly used to humans it looked to weight several hundred pounds and did not appreciate physical contact from what I could see. It might be less dangerous then say a pet lion, but I wouldn't want to be in there with it on a bad day!

[evancj]

I found one account of how the original herd was brought to the island.

http://historytogo.utah.gov/salt_lake_tribune/in_another_time/111493.html

[Michelle]

"animals can turn without being provoked"

I was a veterinary nurse for some time and I can't say I could agree with what you say.

I have four decades of all kinds of animal rescue under my belt and they do indeed turn for reasons unbeknownst to us. A baby sleeping peacefully in it's cradle seems to be of no threat to a pet, but they still know jealousy. Seemingly docile pets have caused severe damage and death to infants. An apparently harmless pet can wreak havoc in an instant due to what we would call a temper tantrum if it was a child. Unfortunately, they can do a lot more intentional, or unintentional, damage during their outbursts...depending on their size.

Not to mention, as in this case, people get stupid when they see animals they usually don't encounter. Simply because they are herbivores doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Michelle

[The Silver Thong]

Other then the leading cause of death in Africa is religion look to the Hippo

[Yamato]

Speaking to Expand's point, here's another mauling; dogs turned for reasons unknown. A plump little toddler clumsily running around in the yard was just too tempting to pass up. I suspect the dogs get high on their instinctual pack mentality and feed off of each others' energy, their behavior escalates in time until the human becomes a prey item.

Another 5-year old was mauled by a pit bull in the past few days too. A man hit it with a 2x4 trying to save the kid and it didn't stop its attack.

The Little Rascals always outnumbered Petey. A dog owner letting a small child run around a yard with seven pit bulls needs to get their heads examined. I would think criminal charges are imminent.

http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2013/03/28/21-month-old-girl-mauled-to-death-by-7-pit-bulls-at-familys-home/

[ExpandMyMind]

I have never been bitten or attacked by any animal and plenty have been distressed, prodded and poked and had every reason to want to bite somebody. I'll take my experience over a bunch of crap on the Internet which couldn't have more crap on it if it tried.

i thought you said you had a degree? If this is the case then it should be fairly simple for you to distinguish 'Crap from the internet' from the peer reviewed evidence that I just supplied, that I could only find through my university account (which, actually, says more about your knowledge of the subject than your posts ever could). I didn't pull up a bunch of HTML opinion based pieces from the 90s, I supplied actual evidence.

Edited March 31, 2013 by ExpandMyMind

[ExpandMyMind]

I have four decades of all kinds of animal rescue under my belt and they do indeed turn for reasons unbeknownst to us. A baby sleeping peacefully in it's cradle seems to be of no threat to a pet, but they still know jealousy. Seemingly docile pets have caused severe damage and death to infants. An apparently harmless pet can wreak havoc in an instant due to what we would call a temper tantrum if it was a child. Unfortunately, they can do a lot more intentional, or unintentional, damage during their outbursts...depending on their size.

Not to mention, as in this case, people get stupid when they see animals they usually don't encounter. Simply because they are herbivores doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.

And this is what is meant by 'unprovoked' - no 'legitimate' reason.

If a guy attacks someone who came before him in a queue because the person before him had the last ice-cream, was he then 'provoked'? No. It may be a reason, but doesn't mean he was provoked.

Edited March 31, 2013 by ExpandMyMind

[evancj]

All the local news reports here are saying witnesses reported that the man was rattling the fence, and throwing rocks and sticks at the bison. If that is not provoking an attack I don't know what is. I don't know about anyone else but that would be enough to provoke me.

[Sakari]

All the local news reports here are saying witnesses reported that the man was rattling the fence, and throwing rocks and sticks at the bison. If that is not provoking an attack I don't know what is. I don't know about anyone else but that would be enough to provoke me.

Sticks and stones can break my bones.....

But rattling a fence infuriates me......