Montana Has High Wildlife Death Rate. Who Else Made The List?

Living and visiting Montana comes with certain risks.

One of the biggest risks involves wildlife. Here in Big Sky Country, we have a few different animals that call Montana home. Of course, one of the most popular is the Bison.

READ MORE: Bison attack in Yellowstone National Park serves as a reminder on what to do near wild animals. 

You've no doubt seen the footage by now of the visitor at Yellowstone National Park that was hurled several feet into the air by a Bison that seemed a little bit upset. Many times, this results from the humans not following the rules, however, that was not the case in this situation.

The truth?

Wild animals are wild. Yes, they are beautiful. Yes, they are majestic. And yes, they will kill you. According to the folks Outforia, which is a outdoor website, when it comes to death from wildlife, certain states are more prone than others and it just so happens that Montana made the list.

Where does Montana rank in death by wildlife?

According to a study by the CDC between 1999 and 2024, when it comes to mortality rates and death by wildlife, Montana ranks first in the nation. Now, before you become to afraid to go outside, you should know that this is based on population.

During the period mentioned, there were just over 6000 deaths due to animals and Montana had 62 of those. However, because it's a population based formula, even though a state like Texas, which had over 700 deaths due to animals in that time period, Montana still is ranked at the top.

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Oh, and if you're curious, Oklahoma is second, West Virginia is third, and Idaho is fourth. Wyoming also makes the Top 10, coming in ninth place.