Bull bison tosses Yellowstone tourist 8 feet, attack caught on video

A bull bison tossed a Yellowstone tourist about 8 feet into the air at Bridge Bay Campground on Friday evening, July 10, in a violent encounter filmed by Bozeman photographer Mike MacLeod. The man was walking with his grandson when the bison became agitated, charged and hooked him with a horn, leaving bystanders to drive the animal away before the victim was taken to a hospital.

The incident unfolded in Yellowstone National Park, south of Fishing Bridge in Wyoming, at one of the park’s busiest campground areas near Yellowstone Lake. The location matters because it puts visitors in close contact with large animals even as Yellowstone continues to warn that bison are unpredictable and dangerous when people ignore distance rules for photos, videos or a closer look.

Yellowstone requires visitors to stay at least 25 yards from bison, elk and moose. The National Park Service says bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal and can run three times faster than humans. Park research has also found that 80% of people hurt by bison had actively approached the animal, a pattern that has made close encounters a recurring safety problem in the park.

The attack came during the bison rut, when bulls are more aggressive, adding another layer of risk at a time when herds are moving through heavily visited areas. It also appears to be the second bison-related injury reported in Yellowstone in 2026, after a June incident in which a 12-year-old was injured north of Fishing Bridge.

Details about the tourist’s condition have circulated through multiple accounts, with some describing serious injuries and family members saying he may have broken a hip or remained in critical condition. Park officials have not publicly confirmed those specifics, but the video-backed encounter has already become another stark example of how quickly a wildlife viewing stop can turn into a trauma scene when people close the gap on a wild animal.