Bison duke it out right in front of tourists.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are two of our nation's most popular tourist destinations for a reason. Where else can you go to see scenes from nature that you would only normally see in a nature documentary, play out right next to your vehicle?
Bison mating season happens in late July through early September, there are plenty of chances to catch male bison butting heads for breeding rights as this is also when the park is usually the busiest. In fact, it's not uncommon for "bison jams" to slow down traffic.
Because in these parks, human vehicular traffic yields to bison and not the other way around. The National Park Service makes sure of that. And it turns out, the bison don't really notice the tourist vehicles anyway. As this video of a short and sweet bison fight demonstrates. Be sure to unmute and turn your sound up to hear the bellows of these lumbering beasts before the pushing and shoving begins.
Did you see all the dust that came flying off that bull as the two massive animals started their battle? During the bison rut, the males like to wallow in dust, as you could see in this video. This is just one of the ways that the males like to display aggression in hopes it will intimidate their rivals. Although it also thought it may help with relief from biting insects. Considering what else was going on in this video, we think it was more the former than the latter.
This video is a good demonstration of why you don't leave your car when driving among the bison in either National Park. The park's rules have a strict rule about staying 25 yards from large mammals. Of course, that's not always possible when the animals have taken over the roadway.
The size and power of these animals cannot be fully appreciated until you see them in person. And the bellows of these creatures when they're agitated, and rutting are otherworldly. If you're looking for a unique wildlife viewing destination for your next vacation, either of these parks during the bison rut is a great option!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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