Yellowstone bison tosses visitor into the air during attack. See video
A 65-year-old man was seriously injured after a bison charged and tossed him into the air at Yellowstone National Park on July 10.
The park did not share any details but confirmed the man was injured by a bison at Bridge Bay Campground near Lake Yellowstone and taken to a nearby hospital by emergency medical responders.
Video captured by fellow visitor Mike MacLeod shows the man watching the bull bison with his grandchild, then the animal getting up and chasing the pair through a wooded area before catching up to the man and launching in him into the air. The grandchild was not apparently hurt.
MacLeod told Cowboy State Daily that the bison had previously charged at a group of children.
It's unclear how far the two were from the animal before it charged. Yellowstone requires a minimum 25-yard distance for viewing wildlife, including bison, and a minimum 100 yards for bears, wolves and cougars. Most bison-related injuries in the park occur when visitors get too close to the animals.
MacLeod told MTN News, a network of CBS TV stations across Montana, that he and fellow visitors rushed to help the man, who remained in good spirits after the attack. "When he was down on the ground, after things were settling down a little bit, I said, 'Hey you know as a former U.S. Army paratrooper, I give that landing like a 9.5. out of 10,' and he's like, 'Well if you just caught me 5 years ago, I could've done better.' So he was jovial, trying to make light of his pain, but he was obviously in a lot of pain."
The man's family told NBC News he underwent surgery and remains hospitalized. MacLeod told NBC News he's stayed in touch with the family. "It sounds like he has a broken leg in several places," he said. "The doctors said that he probably would recover but it's going to be a long recovery."
The incident comes amid bison mating season, known as the rut, from June through September. During this time, bull bison can become more aggressive and unpredictable.
The attack follows another recent bison-related injury in the park. In late June, a 12-year-old visitor was hospitalized after an encounter with a bison.
Yellowstone is home to the nation's largest public bison herd. The animals can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run up to 35 mph, making them faster than most people can outrun. Park officials remind visitors that wildlife can be dangerous regardless of how calm they appear and urge travelers to give all animals plenty of space.
This story was updated to add new information and video.
Contributing: Josh Rivera, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yellowstone bison tosses visitor into the air during attack. See video
Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 10:38 AM.