Tourist Suffers Multiple Broken Bones After Bison Flips Him 8 Feet Into the Air at Yellowstone Campground

A tourist has been left with multiple broken bones after he was attacked by a bison that tossed him nearly eight feet into the air at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

The victim, Carl Isom McDaniel, who serves on several local community boards in Washington State, was seriously injured during the frightening incident, which occurred at around 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

According to eyewitness accounts, the bull bison had been roaming through the campground and charging at people as visitors gathered nearby to watch and take photographs. The campground was busy with campers, recreational vehicles and tents, while the sun was still about an hour away from setting.

Eyewitness Mr. MacLeod, who filmed part of the incident, said the bison first charged at a group of teenage boys, forcing them to scatter before the animal continued roaming around the campground.

He explained that the bull later stopped and rolled in the dirt beside a campground road near a picnic table that still had dinner leftovers.

Speaking about the encounter, Mr. MacLeod said:

“When he got up, it was kicking like a rodeo horse who’s clearly very agitated.”

He added that a man with a long white beard and his grandson stopped to take photographs of the bison after parking nearby.

“The bison stopped rolling in the dust and kind of sat up. He’s looking in the direction of those two,” he said. “And as soon as they stop taking pictures, the bison stands up and the grandfather’s like, ‘Let’s get out of here. I don’t like this.’”

After another pickup truck drove past, the bison appeared to shift its attention before suddenly chasing the grandfather and his grandson around a cluster of pine trees.

While the grandson managed to escape, the bison caught up with Mr. McDaniel, hooking him near the hip with one of its horns before violently tossing him into the air.

Mr. MacLeod recalled:

“I knew he was in danger because the bison didn’t leave. He stood right over Carl, and he was really, really angry. His head’s pumping up and down and he displayed all that aggressive behavior.”

He said he immediately rushed toward the animal in an effort to distract it.

“I put my camera down, and I ran at the bison pumping my arms up and down, yelling at the top of my lungs and jumping up trying to look big and distracting.”

Other campers also ran toward the scene, causing the bison to retreat.

Campers stayed with Mr. McDaniel until park emergency responders arrived approximately 10 minutes later.

Despite suffering severe injuries, Mr. MacLeod said the victim remained conscious throughout the ordeal.

“He was in a lot of pain with his leg, and otherwise he was conscious the whole time, in good spirits, joking.”

As of the time of filing this report, officials have not released additional information regarding the incident, while Mr. McDaniels is receiving medical treatment for his injuries.

See video below…..