Grizzly versus Bison: the rest of the story (Photos)

KRTV.COM ^ | October 29, 2010 | Drew Trafton

[jazusamo]

The man responsible for snapping the dramatic photographs of a bison being chased by a grizzly bear has surfaced, providing sister station KTVQ in Billings with more pictures and the end to the tale.

Alex Wypyszinski had just dropped off his wife at work and had a few hours to kill one morning last April.

Wypyszinski says he likes to spend his free time in the morning snapping photos of wildlife in the park.

Of course, he usually has to search the animals out.

NEW PHOTOS BELOW

It all started when he was driving in the Fountain Flats area, located between the Madison Junction and Old Faithful, when he heard an unusual sound.

But Wypyszinski says any noise is unusual on that particular highway at 7am.

"I thought it was a horse and carriage," said Wypyszinski. "That was the kind of noise that I heard."

By the time he turned around, the two fuzzy brown images were racing quickly toward him.

Wypyszinski pulled out his camera quickly, thinking he was going to catch two moose racing down the highway.

He quickly learned he was mistaken.

"I thought I was having a hallucination or something," said Wypyszinski. "I couldn't believe what that buffalo looked like."

It was a bison, badly burned from an encounter with one of the numerous hot spots in Yellowstone National Park.

The sight of such an injured bison alone is rare, but what Wypyszinski saw next was once in a lifetime.

"Never, ever, ever," said Wypyszinski. "I've seen plenty of bear, and more buffalo. But I've never seen anything like that before."

A grizzly was chasing the buffalo (which was practically cooked already) and gaining quickly.

Wypyszinski stopped his car on the desolate highway and took out his camera.

"I stood along the car as long as I thought it was safe."

The two beasts passed the man by without paying any notice.

The result: these hair-raising pictures.

We pick our tale up where the photos end.

Wypiszinski says once in the safety of the woods the bison out maneuvered the grizzly, escaping to live exactly one more day.

Park rangers had to put the bison down due to the injuries it sustained.

Wypiszinski said the whole event was over just as quickly as it happened.

Just another day in Yellowstone National Park.

[B4Ranch]

Your description of the events was hilarious.

I am ashamed to admit knowing my lowly opinion of Dachshunds, I probably would have committed some serious animal cruelty if they didn’t calm down on the 2nd command.

I won’t tolerate dogs that continue to bark when told to stop. They can sit snarling and growling all they want but when told to be quiet that’s it, be quiet.

[tubebender]

Arf Arf Arf Arf

[tubebender]

I wonder if these are legal to carry in all 57 states yet?

[B4Ranch]

Bang

[B4Ranch]

I ‘d like to get four or five of them. Save time on reloading.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oh, that is TOO perfect! Does it come in pink?

My new .22, while pretty, would be a whole lot ‘cuter’ if it were pink, versus red and black. :)

Took the dogs for a walk about an hour ago. The coyotes were singin’ to beat the band. Dad has a .22 pistol that he’s going to give me...just in case I need to do a little ‘plinking’ in their direction while I walk the dogs in the early AM when it’s still dark and the evening when it’s dark here at like 5pm now. Booo!

They’re getting kind of bold these days. FWIW, never trust a coyote...

[tubebender]

I had to use a old single shot 22 to "dispatch" a rat I trapped in the garden yesterday. I have a couple of boxes of 22 hollow point shorts for plinking. I usually use my Sheridan pumpitup air rifle that shoots 22 pellets but it needs to be rebuilt.

[Viking2002]

I kid you not - you've seen cats hanging three feet up onto a living room curtain? Imagine a fat, tan watermelon with teeth hanging from the inside of a truck cab like that. No ground support. Just toenails, canine blood lust, and sheer willpower. I thought I'd die from the sheer spectacle.

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away, for his name is Obama."

[Viking2002]

German hunting dog. Bred for that Billy Barty level of sneak attack. They go for the ankles. Keeps 'em distracted while I go high for the center of gravity. I'm starting to get older and fight dirty like that.

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away, for his name is Obama."

[Viking2002]

Rule #1: Get 'em just weaned, and teach them who is in charge. Be a fist in a velvet glove. Unless they sense something urgent (and you'd be surprised how handy that instinct is if you have a wiener dog), they'll dummy up and heel by the second command, tops. It doesn't take much for mine to 'get religion' when they see me coming.

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away, for his name is Obama."

[B4Ranch]

I guess I’ve seen too many of them that control the entire parade grounds. Yours. I’m sure I’d like as they know who the Boss is.

[unspun]

"Park rangers had to put the bison down due to the injuries it sustained."

Translation: "Meat!"