Samantha R Dehring, Wildlife Disturbance, Wyoming 2021

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming – Samantha R Dehring, 25, of Carol Stream, Illinois, has been charged with disturbing wildlife in the nation’s first national park. According to court documents, Dehring was at Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone Nation Park on May 10, 2021, when visitors noticed a sow grizzly and her three cubs.

While other visitors slowly backed off and got into their vehicles, Dehring remained at the scene, taking pictures as the sow bluff charged her. Witnesses took pictures and video of the incident, which was shared with news outlets and eventually led to her identification.

Dehring faces up to a year in prison and up to $10,000 in fines for the alleged crime. The charges are only accusations of a violation of law, and Dehring is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Yellowstone National Park Rangers began investigating the incident after receiving the results of their investigation from park rangers in Dehring’s area. The Rangers served Dehring in person with violation notices.

Dehring is expected to appear in front of Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming on August 26, 2021, for her arraignment.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Hambrick. For questions relating to Yellowstone National Park, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 307-344-2015 or yell_public_affairs@nps.gov.

Samantha R Dehring, 25, of Carol Stream, Illinois, was charged with one count of willfully remaining, approaching, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards and one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife.

This is not the first time someone has been charged with disturbing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. However, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting wildlife and maintaining a safe distance.

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