[cosmic cowboy]

I camped in Yellowstone National Park for four nights in mid-summer. One of the nights I decided to spend in Hayden Valley watching the animals as the sun was getting ready to set. All the tourist started to leave the valley and the traffic thinned out. There were hundreds of buffalo grazing all around us. The baby buffalo started getting up and playing together, they were jumping around having the time of their lives. You could hear the frogs, crickets, and the coyote's chirping to each other across the valley. The coyote's acted like cowboys placing themselves all around the buffalo like they were trying to herd them. The coyote's didn't seem to bother the buffalo they just went about their evening grazing in the fields. As the sun dropped another notch behind the mountains the sky turned orangish-red and that's when all hell broke loose. The buffalo started to herd together and move across the landscape rapidly in a frantic dash to get across the Yellowstone River. As they got across the river they were moving towards us and we could feel the ground shaking as the male buffalo's would circle back around to fight off whatever was trying to attack the herd. One after another the bigger buffalos would break away from the pack and charge. You could hear their grunts echo throughout the valley. As they fought for their lives and the rest of the herds lives. What were they charging? A grizzly bear thats what. The grizzly bear ran like a horse. I knew grizzlys were fast but not this fast. Then when they got closer the coyote's split the herd. One pack directly at us. I stared down the stampede and got scared and jumped in the car. Starting the car must have startled them cause they shifted away from us. Thanks for reading. This was one of the most exciting things that I ever got to witness. The adrenaline I felt was intense. We were the only ones out there.

[Dang]

Wow!
Thank you for sharing that experience with us. How awesome to experience nature from that vantage point.

[garret]

oh man thats cool, would have loved to have seen that

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Ain't it great to be free in America!

[kevin]

wow that sure beats the zoo

[cowgirlup]

Wow. That sounds amazing and scary. I remember all the buffalo when I was there. They would decide to stand in the road and all you could do was sit in your car and wait until they decided to move on.

[cosmic cowboy]

When I was there people would pull right up to the buffalo crossing the road,in thier big pickup trucks and honk at them, like the buffalo were in thier way.

[cowgirlup]

Originally Posted by cosmic cowboy

When I was there people would pull right up to the buffalo crossing the road,in thier big pickup trucks and honk at them, like the buffalo were in thier way.

As I say frequently, "People are stupid".

I thought it was cool They are huge and right outside the SUV looking in at us like we were the attraction.

[Cajunlady]

That's what you call a once in a lifetime experience you will never forget and will pass on to many in your family. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[Dick]

I can see how that would get the blood pumping!
Griz and black bears are very fast, but can’t sustain it too long.
Sounds like the coyotes were waiting patiently for an opportunity. Stick with the herd and you will eventually be rewarded, even if it is only scraps that a griz left behind.