A tourist was seriously injured Friday evening when an agitated bull bison charged him at Yellowstone National Park’s Bridge Bay Campground and tossed him approximately 8 feet into the air.
The unidentified man, who was walking with his grandson, was hooked by the bison’s left horn near his hip and flipped before landing hard on his side, according to professional photographer Mike MacLeod of Bozeman, Montana, who witnessed and filmed the incident. The dramatic video has since gone viral across social media platforms.
MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily that the bison had been visibly agitated earlier in the evening, charging a group of children taking photos, running through the campground, and later charging a white pickup truck. The man and his grandson had initially stayed well over 100 yards away while photographing the bison as it wallowed in the dirt. After the truck passed, the bison turned its attention toward the pair, who had moved behind some trees.
A tourist was seriously injured after a bison tossed them about 8 feet into the air in Yellowstone National Park. The attack was captured on video by photographer Mike Macleod. pic.twitter.com/ZtGTb32Gee
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 12, 2026
The bison chased the man around the trees. The grandson escaped unharmed. The animal hooked the man with its left horn, launching him into the air in a full flip. MacLeod described the moment: “The bison hooked him with his left horn on his hip and tossed him in the air. 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 briefly, shaking its head. MacLeod and other bystanders yelled and ran toward the animal to distract it, causing it to move away. One person held the victim’s hand while another watched for the bison’s return and a woman called 911. Yellowstone emergency medical services arrived quickly and took over care. The man was in significant pain, especially in his hips and the leg he landed on, though no external wounds or goring were visible at the scene.
In a later conversation, the victim’s grandson told MacLeod that his grandfather had sustained “pretty significant injuries” and was “not out of the woods yet.”
As of Sunday, July 12, Yellowstone National Park officials have not released an official statement, the man’s name, age, or hometown, or any further update on his medical condition. He remains hospitalized with serious injuries according to accounts from witnesses.
This marks the second reported bison-related human injury incident in Yellowstone in 2026. The first occurred June 26 near Mud Volcano and involved a 12-year-old.
