Talked with my son who is on his way back from a bicycle touring/camping expedition in the Badlands/Black Hills area of South Dakota. He called me a couple of days ago to inform me of interesting day going from Custer State Park to Wind Cave National Park. He was evidently going through the wildlife loop area and herd of Buffalo along both sides of road. Patiently waiting for a while he found an opportunity to go through the herd without incident. He evidently took a YouTube video that I will later link here, which he said would probably make me a little nervous. Buffalo have been known to attack tourists who are foolish enough to get too close. I think there is one video out there somewhere documenting a tourist being tossed about 15 feet in the air by an eraged bull Bison at this same park.
After getting through this one herd he said he reaized he would need to take a cut across gravel road to get to Wind Cave Park if he wanted to be able to make the cave tour. Alas he encountered another herd of Bison on the road and unwilling to move. He said shouting had absoultely no effect on them at all and while he was figuring on what to do one of the Bulls made a bluff charge at him. He said it definitely gave him a scare and definitly was not the place to be. He did manage to wind his way through the herd when most had moved away from the road(no time for video with this incident). Definitely his closest call. He did a tour in the Norther Rockies through Canada and Montana (
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=3454&v=D6) last year and did get a chance to encounter a grizzly along the road. Also had mountain sheep jump in front of him as he was doing a descent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx1Beil12aY
Bike stopper!
As for my own experience have been up close to Black Bears while cycling. Worst bear experience was camping when not biking though. The critters that have been the most persistant around campsite have been Squirrels, chipmunks and seaguls. Little thiefs!