Montana

Montana Woman Attacked By Her Own Bison

Published

10 months ago

June 2, 2025

We all know one of the golden rules here in Montana—don’t pet the fluffy cows. And if you’re new around here, “fluffy cows” is a different way of saying bison. For some reason, folks continue to get too close, and every year we see headlines about bison attacks—usually because someone didn’t give them the space they deserve.

Most of the time, these incidents involve tourists who aren’t aware of just how unpredictable and powerful these animals are. On average, Yellowstone sees about two bison attacks per year, and they’re the number one cause of animal-related injuries in the park.

Credit: Canva

The first bison attack of 2025 in Yellowstone happened on Sunday, May 4, near the Lake Village area of the park.

Just for reference, a bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, stand 6 feet tall, and will absolutely defend its space if they feel threatened. They’re fast, powerful, and can cause serious damage in seconds.

While most bison-related injuries happen to visitors, one rare—and terrifying—incident this past January involved a local Montanan. Dr. Kris Spanjian, a retired cardiac anesthesiologist from Billings, was out for her usual walk with her dogs when she was attacked. Not in the park, but on her own ranch, by her own herd of bison in a freak accident.

Credit: Canva

Spanjian said the bison typically stay far from her walking route, but this time, things aligned just wrong. The herd got spooked by her dogs, and in the chaos, she ended up caught in the middle.

“At that point, I just laid there and I knew I better just not move at all. I was thinking, ‘What do you do if a grizzly bear attacks? You play dead.’ So I figured I better just play dead,” Spanjian told reporters.

But even after she tried to crawl away, a bull and calf circled back for a second hit. She was airlifted to St. Vincent Regional Hospital with serious injuries—a split lip, three broken vertebrae, three broken ribs, a deep gash on her leg, a dislocated shoulder, and nerve damage. It’s nothing short of a miracle that she survived.

She’s now recovering, and her story is a sobering reminder that Montana is wild, and we live alongside animals that deserve respect. Even the fluffy ones.

Bozeman Luxury Estate: Stunning Property for $13.5 Million

For those looking to live in the “Heart” of Montana, yet still be close to the conveniences of the city, this 15-acre property just outside of Bozeman might be perfect, but keep in mind that perfection comes with a hefty price tag.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

Famous People Buried In Montana

Montana is home to several celebrities, but what about those who are no longer with us? We take a look at some of the most famous people that are buried in The Treasure State.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

5 Businesses Montanans Wishes Would Come Back

As most know, Bozeman, Montana is a growing town/city. The population has almost doubled in the last few years, housing prices have skyrocketed, and businesses have either strived or suffered.

The one thing that Bozeman residents all say, is they miss the “old Bozeman”. What they mean is they miss the small-town feel, the minimal traffic, and the affordable living. Along with those, there are a few businesses Bozemanites really wish would return.

Here are the Top 5 Businesses Montanans Miss.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul, Derek Wolf

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Montana

Montana SupCo agrees media coalition can make case for accessing trial documents • Daily Montanan

Published

8 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Montana SupCo agrees media coalition can make case for accessing trial documents • Daily Montanan

A coalition of Montana press outlets will be allowed to make its argument for unsealing court documents in the trial of a man’s alleged killing of four Anaconda residents last summer, following an order from the Montana Supreme Court.

The order, handed down last week by Chief Justice Cory Swanson and signed by four other justices, reverses a district court order that had denied the press’ request to take part in the lawsuit to bring the sealed records into public view.

“The record reflects that the District Court entered the modified sealing order without participation by the media; without an evidentiary hearing; and without specific findings addressing the statutory requirements,” the order states. “We conclude the District Court proceeded under a mistake of law.”

On Aug. 1, Michael Brown walked into the Owl Bar in Anaconda and opened fire, killing four people before fleeing the scene, according to law enforcement. Federal, state and local law enforcement captured Brown following a week-long manhunt.

Prior to Brown’s apprehension, District Court Judge Jeffrey Dahood sealed all legal documents in the court case, at the request of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Morgan Smith, a move considered unusual by legal experts.

Dahood unsealed some of the documents on Aug. 29 following a move to modify the sealing order by the state and defendant, but certain pretrial proceedings and records remain inaccessible to the public and the media.

A group of media organizations sought to become part of the case in a limited capacity, asking the court to vacate its August order, which modified which records remained sealed, arguing that the order violates Montana law and “fails to balance the public and Press’s constitutional right to examine public documents,” but Dahood denied the request.

The coalition of media organizations comprises The Daily Montanan, Montana Free Press, The Montana Newspaper Association, Montana Broadcasters Association, Lee Enterprises, Inc., which owns and operates five of the state’s largest print newspapers, and the Montana Freedom of Information Coalition.

Swanson wrote in his March 24 order that Montana’s constitution balances the requirement of the public’s right to know and a defendant’s right to a fair trial, but there are procedures and precedents that must be followed to determine the correct balance.

One mandatory procedure before records may be sealed is that “the media must be afforded an opportunity to be heard,” according to the court order.

“The District Court’s refusal to allow (the Press) to be heard directly conflicts with this controlling precedent,” Swanson wrote.

Swanson also adds the media coalition submitted a motion to appear, which the clerk of court did not add to the public court record, instead transmitting it directly to the district court, which subsequently denied it.

“The failure to docket (the Press’) motion — despite its submission with the required filing fee — resulted in a judicial ruling on a matter not entered into the public record,” Swanson wrote. “This procedure is inconsistent with Montana law.”

While the order will allow the coalition of press to make their case for unsealing the court documents, the high court did not immediately vacate the modified sealing order, “noting that certain sealed materials may implicate the defendant’s right to a fair trial.”

The matter is remanded back to the district court for an evidentiary hearing and entry of appropriate findings, with the media organizations allowed to argue to unseal the records.

Editor’s Note: The Daily Montanan is a part of the media coalition to enter the case.

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Montana

Nearly 1,000 customers without power in Western Montana

Published

20 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Nearly 1,000 customers without power in Western Montana

MISSOULA, Mont. — Nearly 1,000 customers are without power in Western Montana on Monday morning.

As of 6:15 a.m., Mission Valley Power’s outage map shows 984 customers without power in the Swan Lake area. The outage began at 5:30 a.m. The cause is listed as unknown.

There is no estimated restoration time listed.

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