Man Accused Of Drunk-Kicking Bison Sets Off Yellowstone’s Animal Attack Season

Tourist season has begun! The National Park Service on Monday announced the first bison attack of the season. An Idaho man displayed “Darwin Award”-level stupidity when he allegedly kicked a bison last week while drunk.

Mark Heinz
April 29, 2024 • 4 min read



The 2024 tourist season has just begun in Yellowstone, and there are already plenty of incidents of people getting too close to wildlife, like in this recent file photo. On Monday, Yellowstone National Park annoucned the arrest of a man who not only allegedly harassed a herd of bison, he kicked one in the leg. (Reader photo: Ralee Plunkett)

An Idaho man is accused of kicking a bison while drunk, becoming Yellowstone National Park’s first bison attack victim of the season, the park announced Monday. ... The incident took stupid human tricks to an entirely new level, the curator of the Yellowstone National Park: Invasion of the Idiots social media site told Cowboy State Daily on Monday. ... “You think you’ve heard it all, and then there’s this,” Jen Mignard said. “That is absolutely nutty. What the heck?”

{Clarence} Yoder, 40, of Idaho Falls, suffered only minor injures in the attack that happened April 21, according to the statement released Monday afternoon by the Yellowstone National Park Public Affairs Office.

Yoder was charged with being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct as to create or maintain a hazardous condition, approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife.

He appeared in court April 22 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

{snip}