A bull bison at a Yellowstone National Park campground charged and tossed a tourist about 8 feet into the air Friday, seriously injuring him, a professional photographer who recorded the encounter told a Wyoming news outlet.
Incident at Bridge Bay campground
The encounter occurred at the Bridge Bay campground, south of Fishing Bridge, according to Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana. MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily he captured video of the bison’s charge and provided the footage to the outlet. The National Park Service has not yet released details about the attack.
“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,” MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily.
MacLeod described a scene in which the bison was moving through the campground, appearing agitated and charging at people and objects. He said campers yelled warnings as the animal ran through the area. According to his account, the injured man was walking with his grandson when the bison hooked and flung him.
MacLeod told the outlet the animal “started walking through the campground” and later “charged these kids,” then charged a pickup truck whose driver sped away. The video published by Cowboy State Daily shows the animal’s approach and the chaotic response from campers at the site.
Known facts and unanswered questions
Park officials have not released an official statement with additional facts, including the identity of the injured man, the extent of his injuries beyond reports that he was “seriously injured,” or any immediate enforcement or public-safety actions taken by Yellowstone staff.
| Item | Known detail |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday (reported July 10–12 timeframe) |
| Location | Bridge Bay campground, south of Fishing Bridge, Yellowstone National Park |
| Animal | Bull bison |
| Injury | Tourist seriously injured (per report) |
| Documentation | Video provided by photographer Mike MacLeod to Cowboy State Daily |
| Park statement | National Park Service has not released details |
Local and visitor implications
- Yellowstone campgrounds often attract visitors close to wildlife; an incident like this raises immediate safety concerns for campers in the area.
- Park visitors and nearby communities may look to the National Park Service for guidance and any temporary restrictions or warnings following the attack.
- Video documentation can aid investigators and inform public messaging about wildlife safety in the park.
Officials with Yellowstone and the National Park Service typically investigate human-wildlife incidents, but the timing and content of any official release in this case remain pending. The published account and video from MacLeod provide an eyewitness narrative but do not substitute for park confirmation of injuries, victim identity or official findings.
News Block will update this story when the National Park Service provides additional information or when park officials release their findings and any guidance for visitors to Yellowstone.
