BOZEMAN, Mont., July 26 (Bozeman Times) — A Yellowstone National Park visitor says a bison attack left him with multiple fractures and sent him to a Bozeman hospital for surgery, underscoring the park’s warning that even familiar wildlife can be dangerous at close range.
Carl Isom-McDaniel was injured on July 10 at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake, according to the National Park Service and his own account recorded from a Bozeman Health hospital bed. He said he was with his grandson when the bison first seemed calm, then turned toward him.
“They move faster than you could ever imagine,” Isom-McDaniel said. “It picked a target. That target happened to be me.”
How did the attack unfold?
Isom-McDaniel said the bison chased him around a tree and launched him into the air. The National Park Service said park emergency medical personnel responded at the scene and transported him to a nearby hospital.
How serious were his injuries?
Isom-McDaniel said he underwent surgery in Bozeman. A doctor quoted in the Bozeman Health video said the injury was broken in multiple pieces. Other published reports described a femur broken in four places and multiple bone fractures.
What does Yellowstone tell visitors?
Yellowstone says visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from bison and never approach them. The park’s guidance matters because bison may look slow or calm from a distance, but they can move quickly when people get too close.
Why this matters in Bozeman and Yellowstone
The attack connects Yellowstone’s wildlife safety rules with Bozeman, where Isom-McDaniel was treated and recovered. For people visiting the park, the case is a reminder that wildlife viewing needs to happen from a safe distance, even when the animal appears uninterested or still.
