- Antelope Island State Park urges visitors to maintain distance from bison for safety.
- Bison can run up to 40 mph, posing danger if approached too closely.
- Use the 'rule of thumb' to ensure a safe distance from bison, officials advise.
SALT LAKE CITY — For many people, visiting Utah for the first time comes with a lot of non-stop staring at the mountains and scenery.
It's what Steffan and Ellen Pelkman have been doing.
"For us, it's really quite bizarre because we're not used to having this big of a landscape," Steffan Pelkman said. The two are newlyweds visiting from the Netherlands.
However, it wasn't just the wide-open views that took their breath away.
What really caught their attention at Antelope Island State Park wasn't the Great Salt Lake or the scenery.
It was the bison — an animal they had never seen before.
"No, no, no. We just have the wolves and a couple of, we have a lot of cows, yeah," Steffen Pelkman laughed.
While bison may resemble cows to international visitors unfamiliar with the West, there are several signs in the park reminding tourists they're not cows.
They're much faster.
"They can run up to 40 miles an hour, right?" Steffen Pelkman asked. "I can't outrun them. No. Ha!"
That kind of speed, along with their size, is exactly why park officials are urging visitors to keep a safe distance from bison.
"You can absolutely get hurt," said Doranne Pittz, park manager at Antelope Island. "And while we manage the herd on the island, they are still wild animals. They're not docile in any way."
She says the problem is that many visitors don't realize how fast bison can react.
"It is amazing how they will look like a rock, and all of a sudden they will pop up as fast as can be and be right on you," Pittz said. "So, it is imperative to be aware while you are hiking on trails and just to be aware of bison safety in general."
The warning comes after several bison-related injuries at Yellowstone National Park already this season, including tourists who got too close for photos.
"What bison tend to do when they charge is actually gore and toss," Pittz explained. "They are extremely dangerous animals, and we don't take working with them lightly."
How close is too close?
At Yellowstone, park rangers recommend staying at least 25 yards away.
But at Antelope Island, Pittz says that's nowhere near enough.
Instead, visitors are encouraged to use what she calls the "rule of thumb."
"If you stick your thumb out and you put it horizontally across the bison, if you can still see that bison, you're too close," she said.
That simple test can make the difference between a memorable photo and a dangerous encounter.
Pittz adds it's perfectly fine to admire the bison and even take pictures as long as you do it from a safe distance.
Back away if you see one paying attention to you, because it could mean you're too close.
And if you see one in the middle of the road, wait for it to pass, and don't get out of your car.
If bison are on the side of the road, drive past them slowly.
"We want you to get good pictures and we want you to come out and enjoy the herd," Pittz said. "We just want you to be safe and be able to go home afterwards."
For some visitors, like the Pelkman's, the home isn't exactly close.
But no matter how far away that flight home might be, the best advice is to give bison their space and your respect.
"The whole place here is really nice," Steffen Pelkman said. "The bison, too, we like them."
