Bull bison tosses elderly tourist 8 feet into air at Yellowstone campground, video captures entire sequence
A grandfather walking with his grandson was seriously injured after a 2,000lb bull bison charged them near Bridge Bay campground, throwing him roughly 3 metres into the air before bystanders drove the animal away.
A calm that shatters
The bull bison had spent part of Friday evening wandering through the Bridge Bay campground, south of Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National Park. Professional photographer Mike MacLeod, who was camping with his wife, began filming after seeing the animal charge at a group of children taking pictures from what appeared to be a safe distance. Campers shouted warnings to one another while the agitated bison tore through the site. Then the bison settled into a patch of dirt, lying down with its head toward a nearby road, and the immediate panic subsided.
I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit. 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.
That calm proved deceptive. An elderly man and his grandson, walking along the roadway, stopped at a distance of at least 100 metres, a gap the National Park Service would consider safe, and raised their cellphones to take pictures. MacLeod described the grandfather eventually signalling "OK, time to leave," and the pair moved behind some trees.
A pickup truck, a charge, and a chase
The situation unravelled when a white pickup truck entered the scene. The bison charged the vehicle, prompting the driver to speed away. MacLeod said the animal then turned toward the spot where the man and boy were hiding. The grandson managed to flee, but the grandfather was pursued through the trees.
The bison hit him with its left horn at the hip and threw him through the air. He did a perfect somersault and landed on his side.
The victim, described as an older tourist, was launched roughly 2.5 to 3 metres (8 feet) high, according to multiple accounts. The entire attack was captured on MacLeod’s video and later published by Cowboy State Daily.
- Bull bison charges at a group of children who were photographing from a safe distance; campers shout warnings.
- The bison settles into a dirt patch. The grandfather and grandson stop on the road at least 100 m away to take pictures.
- A white pickup truck appears; the bison charges the vehicle and the driver speeds away.
- The bison turns to where the man and his grandson are hiding among trees. The grandson escapes.
- The bison chases the older man, hooks him with a left horn at the hip, and launches him roughly 2.5 to 3 metres into the air.
- MacLeod stops filming, runs toward the bison, and yells to appear intimidating; other bystanders join and the animal flees.
Intervening to prevent a second blow
After the toss, the bison lingered near the man while he lay on the ground. MacLeod said he stopped recording and rushed toward the animal, shouting and trying to appear as large and intimidating as possible to prevent it from goring the victim. Other bystanders joined, and together they drove the bison away. A park ambulance arrived and took over care of the injured man.
Later, MacLeod spoke with the victim’s grandson. The boy was worried the incident might have been his fault and asked to see the video. MacLeod assured him the footage shows the pair stayed a long distance away and did nothing wrong. The photographer told the outlet the victim "has fairly serious injuries and is still not out of danger."
Mating season and the second incident of 2026
Park officials have not released a detailed statement, but wildlife experts note that bull bison can become more aggressive during the annual mating season, which in Yellowstone runs from June through September. MacLeod remarked that the animal appeared "agitated, pissed off and charging anything and everything." This was the second reported bison-involved injury in Yellowstone this year. On 26 June, a 12‑year‑old was hurt near Mud Volcano, north of Fishing Bridge.
The National Park Service advises visitors to stay at least 25 yards (23 metres) from bison, though the grandfather and his grandson were considerably farther back. MacLeod said he saw no one getting too close. "I didn’t see anyone approach," he told Cowboy State Daily. "People were calling out, ‘Watch out, a bison’s coming,’ and they kept their distance."
