--- title: "Yellowstone Bison Reportedly Throws Tourist 8 Feet Into the Air in Campground Attack" url: "https://camperfaqs.com/yellowstone-bison-reportedly-throws-tourist-8-feet-into-the-air-in-campground-attack" author: "Tory Jon" published: "2026-07-12T16:38:17-05:00" modified: "2026-07-12T16:38:19-05:00" --- # Yellowstone Bison Reportedly Throws Tourist 8 Feet Into the Air in Campground Attack A tourist suffered serious injuries Friday evening after a bull bison reportedly chased him through a Yellowstone National Park campground, hooked him with a horn and threw him about 8 feet into the air. The July 10 incident happened at Bridge Bay Campground, south of Fishing Bridge, according to eyewitness Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana. MacLeod told [Cowboy State Daily](https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/11/tourist-seriously-injured-after-yellowstone-bison-launches-man-8-feet-in-the-air/) that the man was walking with his grandson when the bison suddenly ran toward them. Unlike many Yellowstone wildlife incidents, the pair were reportedly far beyond the park’s minimum viewing distance and had not approached the animal. #### **Video Shows Bison Chasing and Throwing Man** [Watch this video on YouTube](https://youtu.be/7mWGtx8BNWI) *Warning: The video shows a man being struck and thrown by a bison. Video courtesy of Newsflare Limited.* > As of Sunday morning, Yellowstone National Park had not issued a public statement confirming the incident or providing an official update on the man’s condition. ## Bison Had Already Charged Other Visitors MacLeod was staying at Bridge Bay Campground when his wife noticed a bull bison entering the area. He began photographing the animal from a distance and said the bison appeared agitated from the beginning. According to MacLeod, the bull first charged a group of children who had been taking cellphone pictures. The children scattered and escaped without injury. The bison continued moving through the campground as visitors warned one another that it was coming. It eventually stopped and began wallowing in a patch of dirt. That was when the injured man and his grandson appeared on a nearby road. MacLeod estimated that they were at least 100 yards from the bison. Yellowstone requires visitors to remain at least 25 yards from bison and most other large wildlife. The two reportedly stopped briefly while the bison was lying in the dirt. Once it began getting up, the grandfather told his grandson it was time to leave, and they moved behind some trees. ## Bison Chased the Man Through the Trees MacLeod said a white pickup then drove into the area, and the bison charged toward it. The driver continued moving, and the bison changed direction toward the trees where the man and his grandson had taken cover. The animal tore through the trees and began chasing them. The grandson got away, but the grandfather was unable to outrun the bison. MacLeod said the bull hooked the man near the hip with its left horn and threw him into the air. “He made a perfect flip and landed on his side,” MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily. The man reportedly flew several feet above the bison before crashing to the ground. Bison can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, reach about 6 feet tall and run up to 30 mph, according to the National Park Service. ## Witnesses Distracted the Bison After the man landed, the bison remained nearby and stood over him while shaking its head. Fearing the animal might gore the injured man, MacLeod stopped recording and began yelling while running toward the bison. Several other people joined him in an effort to draw the animal away. The bison eventually ran from the area. Visitors then approached the injured man, called 911 and watched for the bison in case it returned. MacLeod said the man was experiencing considerable pain in his hips and the leg he landed on, although witnesses did not see any external bleeding. Yellowstone emergency medical personnel arrived and took over his care. MacLeod later spoke with the man’s grandson, who said his grandfather had significant injuries and was “not out of the woods yet,” according to Cowboy State Daily. No additional information about his injuries or current condition was immediately available. ## Witness Says Pair Did Not Provoke the Animal MacLeod said the grandfather and grandson appeared to follow Yellowstone’s wildlife safety rules. They were reportedly about 100 yards away when they first saw the bison, four times the park’s required minimum distance. They also began moving away when the animal stood up. MacLeod said other people in the campground were also keeping their distance and warning nearby visitors. Based on what he witnessed, he did not believe the injured man or his grandson caused the confrontation. The National Park Service warns that bison are unpredictable regardless of how calm they appear. Visitors should remain at least 25 yards away and move farther back when an animal approaches. Bison have injured more Yellowstone visitors than any other animal, according to the park. They can run about three times faster than a person. ## Attack Happened During Bison Rut The incident occurred during the bison rut, or mating season, which generally runs from June through September and reaches its busiest period in July and August. Bull bison can become more active and aggressive during the rut as they compete with other males for access to females. MacLeod said this particular bull appeared agitated and had charged several people and objects before targeting the man and his grandson. The National Park Service advises visitors to turn around or move in another direction when a bison enters their path. People should never approach the animals for photographs, block their movement or assume that trees and other small obstacles will provide protection. ## Second Reported Yellowstone Bison Injury of 2026 This appears to be Yellowstone’s second reported human-bison incident of the year. A 12-year-old visitor was injured near Mud Volcano on June 26. Emergency medical workers transported the child to a nearby hospital, and the National Park Service said that incident remained under investigation. Park officials have not yet released an account of Friday’s reported attack at Bridge Bay Campground. This story may be updated if Yellowstone National Park releases additional information. *Reporting on the Bridge Bay Campground incident and eyewitness statements was first published by Cowboy State Daily.*