Bystanders Intervene After Agitated Bison Charges Campers at Yellowstone

A bull bison charged and threw a man roughly eight feet into the air Friday evening at Yellowstone National Park's Bridge Bay Campground, according to photographer Mike MacLeod, who filmed the incident and later spoke with Cowboy State Daily.

How the Yellowstone Bison Incident Unfolded Near Campers

The bison first charged a group of children who ran and avoided contact, then wallowed in a dirt patch and appeared to calm down. A grandfather and grandchild, walking nearby and unaware of what had just happened, came into view as a pickup truck pulled up. The truck's arrival seemed to ignite the animal's agitation; it charged the vehicle before the truck pulled away, then turned on the pair as they scurried into nearby trees.

The man and his grandchild believed they were keeping a safe distance, more than 100 yards, when the animal charged. MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, said the bison hooked the man with its left horn on his hip and tossed him into the air. The grandfather came down hard on his side while his grandson escaped untouched.

Eyewitness Account: Photographer Distracts Aggressive Bison to Save Injured Man

When the man hit the ground, the bison stopped but did not run off, standing over him and shaking its head in an apparent display of agitation. MacLeod said he was afraid the animal would gore the man, so he stopped filming and ran at the bison, yelling and trying to appear as large and intimidating as possible. Other campers followed his lead and ran toward the animal, which then left the area.

Yellowstone emergency medical crews responded to the campground. MacLeod said the man appeared to be in severe pain in his hip and leg, though bystanders did not see obvious external bleeding. MacLeod later said he had been in contact with the man's grandchild, who told him the injuries were significant.

Second Yellowstone Bison Attack of 2026 Sparks Safety Concerns

brown buffalo on green grass

MacLeod said nobody appeared to be at fault in Friday's encounter, noting that bystanders kept their distance and warned others as the bison moved through the campground. He said the bull was clearly agitated and charging at anything in its path when it entered Bridge Bay.

Friday's attack was Yellowstone's second human-bison incident of 2026. The first happened on June 26, when a 12-year-old was injured near the Mud Volcano area north of Fishing Bridge. Both incidents occurred during the bison rut, which runs from June through September and makes bulls more prone to aggression.

Get our free mobile app

Yellowstone National Park Bison Safety Rules and Wildlife Distance Guidelines

The National Park Service requires visitors to stay at least 25 yards from bison and other large wildlife at all times. Bison are responsible for more visitor injuries at Yellowstone than any other animal, and can run up to 35 miles per hour, faster than most people expect from an animal that often looks docile while grazing.