I didn’t know bison were dangerous until I was in my early 30s.  A herd of them were blocking an Interstate when a local Sheriff told me how often people are killed trying to commune with the animals.  They’re like big, shaggy trucks.  My naïveté may have been caused by seeing them in zoos and because I grew up watching a football team where some guys in a bison costume wandered the sidelines.  Knowing the fan base, they were likely drunk.  Who else would dress in a hot costume and share space with someone else?

Osborn has also photographed the animals bathing.  Or at least cooling off in water.

Bison rule Yellowstone.  Sure, the bears are ill-tempered but the bison intermingle much more with visitors.  Michael Osborn is a photographer who spied one of the furry beasts relaxing on a road.  Backing up oncoming traffic.  It’s not like a can of bison repellent will remove the sleepy animal.  Osborn, by the way, has quite a Facebook page.  He appears to have made a career out of photographing and filming the iconic animals.

In some cases, the bison appear to be leading traffic along the park roads.

Osborn has also photographed the animals bathing.  Or at least cooling off in water.  His line of work sounds very fulfilling.

I’ve got a confession.  I’ve never been to Yellowstone.  I’ve been to Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks but never made the day trip to Yellowstone.  I’ve also never seen a bison in the wild.  I’ve seen moose on three occasions, a wolf once and never a bear.  Or a bear in the wild.  At an amusement park in Canada there was a large exhibit which simulated bear habitat but the animals would frolic beneath a railing where people would toss them marshmallows.  As I was attempting to photograph my daughter and niece with grizzlies in the distance (and beyond the fencing) a pair began mating.  I suggested we go check out another exhibit!

LOOK: 30 fascinating facts about sleep in the animal kingdom

More From News Radio 1310 KLIX