A bull bison was charging anything and everything at Yellowstone, then it found a grandfather on an evening walk and threw him 8 feet into the air

A tourist was seriously injured after a bull bison launched him 8 feet into the air at Yellowstone National Park. The incident took place at the Bridge Bay Campground, south of Fishing Bridge, during an evening visit that turned dangerous. Professional photographer Mike MacLeod, who was present and filming, described the animal as being “angry, agitated and charging anything and everything.”

The trouble started when the bull bison entered the campground and began acting aggressively, according to Cowboy State Daily. MacLeod, a former combat photographer in the Army, noticed the behavior early and started filming from a safe distance. He watched the bison move toward a group of children, who managed to scatter and avoid being hit, before the animal settled into a patch of dirt to rest.

The victim, a grandfather, and his grandson were walking along the road roughly 100 yards from the bison, which had seemed to calm down. They moved behind some trees once the bison stood back up, but the arrival of a white pickup truck appeared to agitate the bull again. After charging the vehicle, the bison turned toward the trees, chased the grandfather, and struck him with its left horn.

Bystanders stepped in after the bison attacked and stood over the downed man

“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. The bison was at least 6 feet tall, and (the victim) was several feet above him.”

After the man hit the ground, the bison stood over him and shook its head in an agitated way. Fearing the animal would gore the man, MacLeod stopped filming and ran toward the bison, shouting and making himself appear as large as possible to distract it. 

Other bystanders joined in, and together they managed to scare the animal away. People nearby then rushed to help the victim and called 911 until Yellowstone EMS arrived. The victim’s grandson later said his grandfather sustained significant injuries and is still recovering.

MacLeod emphasized that the people in the area were being respectful and keeping a safe distance, and that this was not a case of reckless tourist behavior. The bison was simply in a state of high aggression, which can occur during the annual rut that runs from June through September. 

Unexpected wildlife encounters are not always limited to open spaces. In one recent case, a college student came home to find a snake inside their room. During this period, bull bison experience a surge in hormones as they compete for dominance.

“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.”

This was the second human-bison incident at Yellowstone in 2026, following a separate event on June 26 near Mud Volcano. Wild animal encounters in residential and public areas have been making headlines in other parts of the country too, including a serval found hiding under a porch in East Vancouver.

The National Park Service had not yet released official information on the July 10 incident at the time of reporting. MacLeod said the victim was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that the animal appeared to be looking for a confrontation before singling out the grandfather during his evening walk.