Yellowstone bison flips 65-year-old tourist 8 feet into the air at Bridge Bay campground

A 65-year-old tourist was seriously injured Friday evening when an agitated bull bison charged him at Bridge Bay Campground in Yellowstone National Park, hooking him with its left horn and tossing him approximately 8 feet (2.4 metres) into the air. The incident, captured on video by professional photographer Mike MacLeod, occurred around 8:30 p.m. on 10 July 2026 near Yellowstone Lake in the park's southeastern quadrant.

The attack sequence

MacLeod, a former combat photographer with a degree in wildlife biology, was camping with his wife when she spotted the bison approaching the area. The animal, estimated at 2,000 pounds (900 kg), had been roaming the campground and charging at other groups, including a group of teenage boys who scattered. It then stopped to wallow in dust beside a campground road, near a picnic table that still held dinner leftovers.

When he got up, it was kicking like a rodeo horse who's clearly very agitated.

The victim, later identified as Carl Isom-McDaniel of Washington State, was walking with his grandson along the road. The pair stopped to take photos with their cellphones from what witnesses described as a considerable distance, at least 100 metres away. As the bison began to rise, the grandfather said something to the effect of "OK, time to leave," and they moved behind a cluster of pine trees.

A white pickup truck then passed, drawing the bison's attention. The animal charged the truck, whose driver accelerated away. The bison then turned toward the trees where the man and his grandson were hiding. The grandson managed to dart away, but the bison chased the older man around the trees and caught him.

The bison hooked him with his left horn near the hip and flipped him. He did a perfect somersault and landed on his side.

Witnesses reported the man was thrown roughly 3 metres high before crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust. MacLeod and other campers shouted to scare the bison away and called for an ambulance. Park emergency medical personnel transported the victim to a nearby hospital.

Victim's condition and family response

Isom-McDaniel, who serves on several local community boards in Washington State, suffered multiple broken bones and serious hip and leg injuries. His grandson was unharmed. MacLeod later contacted the grandson, who told him his grandfather "has pretty serious injuries and is not yet out of danger." The grandson asked to see the video to confirm the incident was not his fault.

He was really concerned and wanted to see the video to make sure it wasn't his fault. The video clearly shows it's not his fault. You can tell from the beginning.

Park service response and seasonal context

The National Park Service (NPS) confirmed that a 65-year-old man was injured by a bison on the evening of 10 July at Bridge Bay Campground. "Park emergency medical personnel responded and transported him to a nearby hospital. No further details to provide," the NPS stated. The agency has not released additional information about the attack.

Bison are in their annual mating season, which runs through September, a period when males experience a surge of testosterone and become particularly aggressive. Yellowstone recommends visitors maintain at least 25 metres (25 yards) of distance from bison, which cause more injuries to park visitors than any other animal species. Bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and sprint at speeds up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).

Second bison incident of 2026

This is the second bison attack in Yellowstone this year. On 26 June, a 12-year-old child was injured by a male bison near Mud Volcano, north of Fishing Bridge. MacLeod said the encounter changed his understanding of bison behaviour during this season.

It's changed my idea of what to expect from these guys at this time of year, because I would not have predicted that happening.