Going hiking is a wonderful way to exercise while enjoying nature; however, it can be dangerous especially if you’re hiking alone and there aren’t very many other people out on the trails.

Sometimes nature doesn’t like it when we get too close. You could encounter a wild animal that might be interesting to watch from a distance, but get too close, and you could be in serious trouble.

A Texas woman named Rebecca Clark was on a solo hike at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway when she saw multiple bison in the distance. The large animals were crossing the hiking trail. She didn’t want to turn around, and she didn’t want to wait for a long time. She was hoping they would simply keep going and move out of her way.

The bison did cross the trail, and when Clark felt like they were a safe distance away, she kept going down the hiking trail. She was almost past the bison when one of them locked eyes with her and charged towards her, goring her and tossing her into a bush. She captured the encounter on camera and has posted it on TikTok to demonstrate just how important it is to keep your distance from any bison you may encounter.

@rebeccaclark Solo hiking at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway in Texas. I was charged and gored by a bison because I was to CLOSE to be passing them on a trailway They are beautiful creatures protected by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and are a part of the Texas State Bison Restoration Project where the park has restored the historic Charles Goodnight Bison herd (The Official Texas State Bison Herd) to a portion of its former range in the park. I am posting to support safety while enjoying Texas State Parks #TPWD #bisonetiquette101 #hikingsafety #llbean #chaos #rei ♬ dumb dumb – sped up – mazie

In follow-up videos, Clark explained that she is recovering and appreciates the humor in the comments on her post. She also shared several tips if you happen to see any bison when you’re out hiking. First, if you see a buffalo twitching its tail back and forth, that means you’re in danger. Second, 50 yards is considered a safe distance from a buffalo. A good rule of thumb is that if you hold up your thumb and the buffalo isn’t hidden by your thumb, you’re too close. Finally, if you’re too close or see a buffalo twitching its tail, don’t try to cross the trail. Just turn around, stay on the trail, and go back the way you came.

Have you ever encountered a wild animal when you were hiking?