BOZEMAN, Mont., July 26 (Bozeman Times) — A Yellowstone bison attack sent Carl Isom-McDaniel, also identified in some reports as Carl McDaniel, to a Bozeman hospital after an encounter near Yellowstone Lake this month. The National Park Service confirmed to CNN that the attack happened at Bridge Bay Campground and that park emergency medical personnel responded and took him to a nearby hospital.
The case has drawn attention because it shows how quickly a large wild animal can turn dangerous, even when it does not seem aggressive at first.
What happened at Yellowstone?
In a video recorded from a Bozeman Health hospital bed, Isom-McDaniel said he was with his grandson when the bison began to act differently. He said the animal first did not seem threatening, then focused on him.
“It picked a target. That target happened to be me,” he said in comments reported by Newser. He also said the bison chased him around a tree and launched him into the air.
“They move faster than you could ever imagine,” he said.
How badly was he hurt?
Isom-McDaniel was recovering at Bozeman Health in Bozeman, where he underwent surgery, according to the hospital video and later reports. A doctor quoted in the video said the injury was “broken in multiple pieces.”
Coverage of the video said he suffered multiple fractures. Some reports described the injury as a femur broken in four places, while others used broader language about multiple bone fractures.
Why are bison so dangerous?
Bison can look slow and calm, but Yellowstone warns that they can charge quickly. The park’s safety guidance, quoted by CNN, says visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from bison and never approach them.
That distance matters because a bison can cover ground far faster than many people expect. Isom-McDaniel said the landing caused the worst of his injury, but the attack itself began with a sudden burst of speed that left him unable to get away.
What should Yellowstone visitors take from this?
The main lesson is that wildlife in Yellowstone is not tame, even near campgrounds. Bridge Bay Campground is close to Yellowstone Lake, a popular area for visitors, but the same rules apply there as anywhere else in the park: keep your distance, do not feed animals, and do not try to move closer for a photo or a better look.
The National Park Service has not publicly detailed any action taken against the bison beyond its general visitor safety advice. For people visiting Yellowstone, the warning is simple: a wild animal that seems still can turn dangerous in seconds.
