Bison tosses Yellowstone visitor 8 feet into air during attack
The 65-year-old was seriously injured after the animal charged him in a campground near Lake Yellowstone.
A 65-year-old man was seriously injured at Yellowstone National Park after a bison chased him through the trees and launched him 8 feet into the air.
A 65-year-old man was seriously injured after being tossed 8 feet into the air by a bison Friday night at Yellowstone National Park, according to reports.
The incident occurred at Bridge Bay Campground near Lake Yellowstone, officials reported. Park emergency medical personnel responded and transported the man to a nearby hospital.
A video of the encounter shows the man and his grandson, about 100 yards away from the bull bison, pulling out their phones to take pictures. After noticing the tourists, the bison chased the man, hooking him with his left horn and tossing him into the air.
Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana, witnessed the attack after seeing the bison roaming through the campground, according to Wyoming’s Cowboy State Daily newspaper. MacLeod said the man and his grandson were “quite a ways away from the bison,” before it decided to target the pair.
“I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit,” MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily. “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.”
A 65-year-old man and his grandson captured photos of a bull bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, on July 10, 2026, before the man was attacked. (Image credit: Newsflare via Reuters Connect)
MacLeod said the bison was walking around the campground and charged a group of kids, who safely scattered. He then started filming, while the animal continued running through the area before settling on a patch of dirt.
A pickup truck then approached, apparently agitating the bison, who charged the vehicle. After the truck left, the bison turned its attention to the man and his grandson, who were hiding in the trees. The grandson escaped, but the man did not.
After the attack, MacLeod and other witnesses scared the bison off by yelling and running toward him.
MacLeod added the bison initiated the attack, noting he was “agitated." Cowboy State Daily explained the bull’s heightened aggression could be due to the annual bison rut, a period from June to September when male bison compete for females and dominance.
(National Park Service / Jacob W. Frank)
The attack marks Yellowstone’s third incident this year in which wildlife injured a park visitor. On June 26, a 12-year-old was injured by a bison near the Mud Volcano area, a popular spot in Yellowstone. In May, two hikers were attacked by a bear on the Mystic Falls Trail, which caused temporary closures in part of the park.
Park officials note that visitors should stay at least 100 yards from wolves, bears and cougars, and at least 25 yards away from other animals, including bison.
“Bison may appear tranquil, but these large animals have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” the National Park Service says on its website. “They can run three times faster than humans, making it very important to give them plenty of space.”
Park officials say to run away if a bison charges and never to approach one to take a photo.
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