VIDEO: Reporter tells Yellowstone bison herd ‘I ain’t messing with you’

Video goes viral, park praises proper wildlife interface

“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (1) – 3/26/20

Deion Broxton of NBC Montana KTVM was reporting from the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, Montana on March 25—presumably covering the indefinite closure of the park in response to COVID-19-realted concerns—when a herd of the park’s iconic large mammal, the mighty bison, got too close for comfort. Broxton looked nervously at the herd before saying, “I ain’t messing with you” in a hilarious sequence that ends in him packing his equipment and then leaving. Broxton posted the video to Twitter, and it has since been viewed over 8 million times. The Yellowstone National Park official Twitter account praised his safety-minded wildlife interface in a Retweet: “A perfect example of what to do when approached by wildlife! … Thanks Deion for putting the #YellowstonePledge into action!” The video has proved a silly reprieve for people stuck at home, becoming a meme sensation and even a laugh-worthy gif. Check out some highlights, below.