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Tourist Who Buzzed Yellowstone Osprey Nest With Drone Could Get Six Months In Jail
Cowboy State Daily ^ | June 11, 2025 | Staff

Posted on 06/12/2025 5:32:47 AM PDT by Red Badger

A tourist allegedly used a drone to buzz an osprey nest in Yellowstone National Park and could face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine for the violation of park rules.

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Yellowstone National Park visitor Vince Botkin said unidentified tourists used a drone to buzz an osprey nest in the park. The National Park Service confirmed that “an individual” was cited for illegally flying a drone near an osprey nest late Thursday. (Courtesy Vince Botkin)

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A tourist accused of buzzing an osprey nest with a drone in Yellowstone National Park could face stiff penalties, including six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.

Flying drones is illegal in Yellowstone, as is harassing wildlife.

A California resident who frequently visits the park told Cowboy State Daily that he caught the drone pilot in the act last Thursday and reported his antics to the National Park Service (NPS).

The Park Service confirmed to Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that the tourist was found and ticketed.

Vince Botkin said he had a brief confrontation with the drone pilot, a man who has not yet been publicly identified, as well as a woman who might have been the man’s wife or a relative.

He also said that park rangers visited his campsite that evening, thanking Botkin for reporting the incident and to let him know they’d caught the suspect that day.

NPS spokeswoman Linda Veress in an email message to Cowboy State Daily confirmed that a citation has been issued.

“We can confirm that an individual was cited in Lamar Valley the evening of June 5 for flying a drone in the vicinity of an osprey nest. We do not have a name and hometown to share,” she stated.

Flying a drone in the park is a misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $500 fine, she added.

Flagrant Violation

Botkin said he has been visiting Yellowstone for years and has seen his share of people being disrespectful or stupid around wildlife.

“You’ve got all of these tourons going in there and taking pictures right next to a bear with their cellphones,” he said, referring to the nickname locals and others give tourists they consider morons.

He said he was still shocked by the incident with the drone, which happened at a turnout parking area near a construction zone at the entrance to the Lamar Valley.

Botkin said he and several other people had stopped there to admire a nearby osprey nest, with a pair of the raptors apparently trying to “tidy it up.”

“The next thing you know, you see both of the osprey look up and then take off in a panic,” he said.

At first he didn’t understand what had spooked the birds, but then he saw that a drone was buzzing their nest.

“That’s the most flagrant violation I have ever seen,” he said.

‘Get That Drone Out Of The Sky!’

Botkin said he’s not shy about calling out stupid human tricks around wildlife, he’s done it numerous times before.

So, he didn’t hesitate when he saw the osprey being harassed.

“I yelled. ‘Whoever’s got that drone up there, get it out of the sky now!’” he said.

When he noticed a man holding the remote control and apparently piloting the drone, Botkin approached him and asked if he knew that flying drones in Yellowstone is illegal.

“He said he didn’t know, and that I should go mind my own business,” Botkin said.

He added that he was also confronted and told to leave by the woman and took photos of both of them.

Drone Vs. Cowboy Hat

Botkin said the drone pilot wasn’t through with him.

He said the man landed the drone on the hood of his vehicle but soon re-launched it.

“He hovered it right above my head, like he was trying to intimidate me,” Botkin said.

Not to be messed with, Botkin removed his cowboy hat.

“I launched my hat at the drone,” he said.

The hat missed, but the pilot apparently got the message and landed it again, he said.

Although he’s from southern California, Botkin said he lives in a rural area, so his cowboy hat suits him well.

“I don’t look like a typical Californian. I’m not a city boy, I’m almost always wearing my cowboy hat,” he said.

He added that the man’s vehicle had California license plates, but he doesn’t know if the man is actually from there or was driving a rental vehicle.

Osprey Seem Fine

Botkin said there wasn’t cell service at the site of the confrontation, so he drove until he had service and called the incident in.

He said it was extremely gratifying when the rangers later visited to report that they’d nabbed the alleged perpetrator.

He also said it was humorous telling them about throwing his hat at the drone.

“The ranger started laughing and said they told a completely different story, that I threw the hat at them,” he said.

Apparently, the ranger believed Botkin’s account of events.

He said he wasn’t certain whether the pair of osprey had eggs in their nest because he couldn’t see inside the nest from his vantage point.

The raptors seem no worse for wear after being buzzed, he added.

“I went to check on them the next day, and they seemed fine,” Botkin said.

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: drones; tourons
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first 1-2021-33 next last

1 posted on 06/12/2025 5:32:47 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

F**kin foreign swine. Deport them all when the sentence has been served.


2 posted on 06/12/2025 5:39:43 AM PDT by montag813
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To: Red Badger

I got a drone to document a construction project and found a great use is chasing crows (introduce to this area) and pigeons (flying rats).
It is great fun.


3 posted on 06/12/2025 5:40:50 AM PDT by sasquatch (Do NOT forget Ashli Babbit! c/o piytar)
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To: Red Badger
I didn't even know that they HAVE nests; though I always wondered when they went at night. Now I know: Yellowstone. Got it.


4 posted on 06/12/2025 5:43:19 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Red Badger

“Tourons” = Tourist + Moron?


5 posted on 06/12/2025 5:45:29 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: SaveFerris

Good one!


6 posted on 06/12/2025 5:45:42 AM PDT by sasquatch (Do NOT forget Ashli Babbit! c/o piytar)
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To: sasquatch

I’m just glad that the Osprey is okay!!


7 posted on 06/12/2025 5:46:43 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: ConservativeMind

Yep....................😎


8 posted on 06/12/2025 5:55:33 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

These drones and now E bikes are quickly becoming the bane of our society.

With a minority of incompetent inconsiderate knuckleheads ruining it for everyone.


9 posted on 06/12/2025 5:55:57 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: SaveFerris

We have lots of ospreys arounds here.......................both kinds............


10 posted on 06/12/2025 5:56:04 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: montag813

Setting a hell of an example for those rug rats.


11 posted on 06/12/2025 5:57:30 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: Red Badger

So a government official can take a look with a drone but a civilian may not.

Gotcha.


12 posted on 06/12/2025 5:59:14 AM PDT by Racketeer
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To: Red Badger

Yayhoos. We’re surrounded by Yayhoos. And more than a few of them are malicious.


13 posted on 06/12/2025 6:00:26 AM PDT by drwoof
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To: Red Badger

This is like the people that come to Florida to see the manatees and decide to jump in the water and swim with them.

Highly illegal..


14 posted on 06/12/2025 6:02:57 AM PDT by GeorgiaDawg32
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To: GeorgiaDawg32

And the dolphins..................


15 posted on 06/12/2025 6:05:55 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

Startling birds that are on the nest can caught them to break an egg. If it happens early in the egg laying stage, sometimes a female will produce a replacement, but if they are already brooding it’s just a loss.


16 posted on 06/12/2025 6:19:55 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustmilents offered here free of charge)
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To: SaveFerris

I know. Poor osprey.


17 posted on 06/12/2025 6:21:57 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: piasa

We have a bird nest outside our front door, we think of them now as a part of the family, we constantly check on them.


18 posted on 06/12/2025 6:23:46 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Red Badger

Deport the vermin. All of them.


19 posted on 06/12/2025 6:28:35 AM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative)
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To: Red Badger

Make it a year, $50K fine, no time off for time served or good behavior, I’m no Gaia worshipper but examples must be made.


20 posted on 06/12/2025 6:30:20 AM PDT by Mastador1
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