South Dakota
Woman dies after bison attack in South Dakota’s Custer State Park
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Male bison bellow to show strength and fend off rivals during their mating season, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A 70-year-old Canadian woman died after being struck by a bison May 18 while hiking with her husband in South Dakota’s Custer State Park, after another park visitor was injured by a bison earlier this month.
The couple were on the Grace Coolidge Trail and found themselves behind a group of about five bull bison, according to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. The couple paused about 500 yards from the animals and waited for them to continue up the trail and out of sight. The couple then continued hiking, came around a corner and encountered the bulls at a distance of 50 yards.
The couple stopped again, and then continued trailing the bison as the animals moved away. A bull eventually broke from the group, charged the woman, hooked her and tossed her into the air.
The woman died from her injuries.
Custer State Park is managed by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. Spokesperson Nick Harrington said staff moved the bison from the area and are monitoring the animal’s behavior “to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents.” He said dry conditions have caused bison to spread throughout the park in search of grass, increasing the chance that visitors may encounter them on trails.
Harrington said park visitors should keep their distance from wildlife, make noise while hiking, use caution around corners and ridges, and keep pets on leashes.
“It’s important to remember that bison are wild animals and need to be treated as such,” Harrington said in a written statement. “Visitors are reminded to keep their distance from all wild animals and safely enjoy both the trails and wildlife within the park.”
On May 1, a 22-year-old hiker encountered a bison while hiking the Lost Trails by Center Lake, Harrington said in response to South Dakota Searchlight questions about prior incidents. The hiker was with a friend and their dog when they rounded a corner.
“The hiker was struck by the buffalo on the back of her legs and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” Harrington said.
Harrington said the department is not aware of any other incidents involving bison within Custer State Park this year, and there had not been a fatal incident involving a bison in the park since 2001.
The 110-square-mile park in the Black Hills is home to a herd of about 1,400 bison, also known as buffalo. Bull bison can stand up to 7 feet tall at the shoulders, weigh 2,000 pounds and run up to 35 mph, according to the department.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 15, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 15 drawing
25-55-57-60-62, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 15 drawing
01-15-18-30-46, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 15 drawing
12-14-20-54-58, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The first mosquito pool of the year carrying West Nile virus has been confirmed in Brown County, the South Dakota Department of Health reported Monday.
The department urged residents to take steps to protect themselves and their families from the virus, which can cause fever, headaches, rash, swollen lymph nodes and achy muscles and joints, and in worst cases, death.
WESTERN S.D. AND NORTHEASTERN WYO. — There’s a slight chill in the air this morning as temperatures currently in the 30s and 40s. Higher elevations in the Black Hills and Bighorns may even be seeing some upper 20s.
“Cooler” air remains today with highs reaching the low to mid-70s for most… However, 60s are possible in higher elevations, while southwestern South Dakota will likely see upper 70s to low 80s.
While winds are light and variable this morning, northerly flow persists as we head into mid-morning. Northwesterly winds today should be sustained around 15-25 mph, gusting up to 40 mph at times.
Due to relative humidity values between 10% and 25% in southern portions of the region, a Red Flag Warning will be in effect from noon today through this evening. This warning includes portions of Weston, Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Jackson, and Bennett counties.
Elevated to critical fire concerns remain throughout the week, although we may see occasionally some pop-up showers to the north, most of the region is expected to remain dry.
Please be careful with fire and/or anything that could create sparks. While we have received beneficial moisture over the last couple of weeks (which I think we’re all grateful for), drought conditions continue for the region. This means vegetation is still dry and struggling to soak up that moisture, so please check local burn bans and stay vigilant.
As stated above, we could see a few quick, pop-up rain showers in northern areas this week, but luckily, we aren’t expecting any severe weather.
Tonight’s lows should be milder, likely in the 40s and 50s. Breezy conditions briefly slow down this evening before increasing again tomorrow, especially in northeastern Wyoming, where west-northwest winds are expected to reach 10-20 mph, with 30 mph gusts likely. Highs will warm up into the low-to-mid 80s tomorrow, with some 70s in the higher elevations.
We’ll continue to see average mid-June temperatures in the 70s and 80s this week. Wednesday looks particularly windy, with northwest gusts potentially reaching 50-55 mph. I would not be surprised if another Red Flag Warning or Wind Advisory is issued by then.
Expect more sunshine to round out the week on Thursday and Friday, with the likelihood of showers and non-severe storms increasing for this Father’s Day weekend.
As a dedicated meteorologist, Sam is committed to delivering accurate and timely weather information to the community. In the future, she hopes to inspire younger generations to develop a love for STEM, just as she did.
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