A 2,000-pound male bison seriously injured a tourist after tossing him eight feet into the air at the Bridge Bay campground in Yellowstone National Park on Friday.
The incident occurred in Wyoming while the man was walking with his grandson.
The National Park Service has not released official details, but witness Mike MacLeod recorded the event.
MacLeod, a professional photographer camping nearby, captured the animal charging group members and vehicles before targeting the victim.
“I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit,” MacLeod said.
“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.”
According to MacLeod, the bison began moving through the campsite toward bystanders.
It approached a group of kids taking pictures on their cellphones from a distance, then charged them.
Campers screamed to warn others as the bison continued running through the area. The grandfather and grandson pulled out cellphones before attempting to retreat behind trees.
“The grandfather’s like, ‘OK, time to leave,’ and they moved off behind these trees,” MacLeod reported.
The bison then charged a pickup truck before turning toward the hiding tourists. The grandson managed to escape, but the bison chased the grandfather.
“The bison hooked him with his left horn on his hip and tossed him in the air,” MacLeod said.
“He made a perfect flip and landed on his side.”
MacLeod noted the height of the animal during the encounter. “The bison was at least 6ft tall, and the victim was several feet above him,” he said.
Bystanders subsequently shouted and ran at the animal to drive it away.
“I was really afraid he was going to gore the guy on the ground, so I stopped videotaping and ran at the bison, yelled loud, and was trying to be as big and intimidating as possible,” MacLeod said.
The victim sustained significant injuries. “He has some pretty significant injuries and is not out of the woods yet,” the grandson said.
The park website notes that these animals are wild and dangerous regardless of appearance.
“Bison are wild and dangerous, no matter how docile they may appear to be,” Yellowstone officials warn.
Park safety guidelines require visitors to stay 25 yards away from bison. “If an animal moves closer to you, back away to maintain a safe distance.
It’s illegal to willfully remain near or approach wildlife, including birds, within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal,” the guidelines state.
MacLeod observed that the campers had maintained a respectful distance prior to the unprovoked charge. “I didn’t see anybody getting close.
People were yelling, ‘Careful, there’s a bison coming through,’ and they kept their distance. They were very respectful,” he said.
The confrontation took place during the annual bison mating season. “You can tell he was agitated, pissed off and charging anything and everything,” MacLeod said.
This marks the second recorded bison encounter in the park for 2026, following a June 26 incident involving a 12-year-old near Mud Volcano.
“The visitor sustained injuries, and emergency medical personnel transported them to a nearby hospital. The incident remains under investigation,” the National Park Service said.
