The bison caught up to him and launched the grandfather into the air
At one of America's most visited wild places, a 65-year-old man discovered in an instant what park officials have long tried to convey: that proximity to nature's largest land animals carries consequences no photograph is worth. At a Yellowstone campground on a Friday afternoon, a bull bison rose from the ground and, within moments, launched Carl Isom-McDaniel eight feet into the air, leaving him hospitalized and in surgery. The encounter is not singular — it is part of a recurring pattern that speaks to the enduring tension between human curiosity and wild animal instinct.
- A bison that appeared calm and distant rose without warning and charged two visitors, closing the gap between perceived safety and real danger in seconds.
- The 65-year-old man ran in a loop trying to escape, but a two-thousand-pound animal moving three times faster than a human is not a race anyone wins on foot.
- A professional photographer stopped filming and ran toward the bison, shouting and waving his camera, joined by other bystanders who hazed the animal away from the injured man.
- Isom-McDaniel was airlifted to a hospital, underwent surgery, and days later posted a thumbs-up emoji on Facebook — a small, human punctuation mark on a violent afternoon.
- This attack follows a twelve-year-old's injury weeks earlier and multiple gorings in prior years, forming a pattern that park guidelines alone have not been able to break.
Carl Isom-McDaniel was near his grandchild at a Yellowstone campground, phone out, photographing a bison lying on the ground about a hundred yards away. The distance seemed safe enough — until the animal stood up.
What followed was caught on video by professional photographer Mike MacLeod. The moment the bison rose, Isom-McDaniel and his grandchild ran for the trees. The bison gave chase. The 65-year-old ran in a loop trying to lose it, but the animal was far faster. It caught him, struck him with its horns, and sent him eight feet into the air. He landed hard, still close to the agitated animal.
MacLeod put down his camera and ran toward the bison, screaming and waving his equipment. Other men joined him, and together they drove the animal away. Emergency responders took Isom-McDaniel to a hospital, where he required surgery. Days later, he posted on Facebook: "Thank you everyone I am O K," with a thumbs-up emoji.
Bull bison can weigh up to two thousand pounds and run at least three times faster than a human. The National Park Service requires visitors to stay at least twenty-five yards from bison and other large animals. More people have been injured by bison at Yellowstone than by any other animal in the park.
The incident is not isolated. A twelve-year-old was hurt by a bison at the park just weeks before. A New Jersey man was gored near Lake Village last year. The guidelines exist, the distances are posted, but people come to Yellowstone to see wildlife — and sometimes they are still taking pictures when an animal decides to move.
Carl Isom-McDaniel was standing near his grandchild at a Yellowstone campground on a Friday afternoon, about a hundred yards from a bison lying on the ground. He had his phone out, taking pictures. The animal was there, and they were there, and the distance seemed safe enough. Then the bison stood up.
What happened next was captured on video by Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer who happened to be at the campground that day. As soon as the animal rose, Isom-McDaniel and his grandchild bolted for the trees. The bison charged after them. The 65-year-old man ran in a loop, trying to lose the animal, but the bison was faster—much faster. When it caught him, it struck him with its horns and launched him eight feet into the air. He landed hard, still near the agitated animal.
MacLeod stopped filming to help. He ran at the bison, screaming, waving his camera in the air. Other men joined him. Together they hazed the animal away from Isom-McDaniel, who lay injured on the ground. Park emergency responders arrived and took him to a nearby hospital. He required surgery. Days later, from his recovery, Isom-McDaniel posted a message on Facebook: "Thank you everyone I am O K," with a thumbs-up emoji.
Bull bison weigh up to two thousand pounds and can run at least three times faster than a human being. They are unpredictable. They become aggressive when they feel their space is threatened. The National Park Service asks visitors to stay at least twenty-five yards away from bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes. For bears, wolves, and cougars, the distance should be at least a hundred yards. More people have been injured by bison in Yellowstone than by any other animal in the park.
This was not an isolated incident. A few weeks before Isom-McDaniel's encounter, a twelve-year-old was hurt by a bison at the park. Last year, a man from New Jersey was gored by a bison near Lake Village, where the park's restaurants and hotels are located. A Florida man was also injured in a separate encounter. The pattern is clear: bison attacks at Yellowstone are recurring, and they are serious.
The challenge for park officials is enforcement and visitor compliance. The guidelines exist. The distances are posted. But people come to Yellowstone to see wildlife, and sometimes they get closer than they should. Sometimes they are taking pictures when an animal decides to move. Sometimes they misjudge how fast a two-thousand-pound creature can run, or how unpredictable its behavior can be. Isom-McDaniel learned this the hard way, and he was fortunate to survive it.
Citas Notables
You can see these two people walking along the perimeter road of the campground. And as soon as the bison stands up, the grandfather, he's like, 'we're out of here, let's go.'— Mike MacLeod, photographer who witnessed the attack
I charged the bison, yelling and screaming and kind of been trying to put my camera up in the air. And a bunch of other men joined me, and we successfully hazed the bison off of the victim.— Mike MacLeod
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why was he standing so close to a bison in the first place? Didn't he know the rules?
He was a hundred yards away initially—that's well beyond the twenty-five-yard minimum. The bison was lying down. He was taking pictures with his grandchild. It looked safe until it wasn't.
So the animal just decided to attack without warning?
It stood up and charged. The video shows it was agitated, but yes—the shift from lying still to running at him happened fast. Faster than a person can react.
And other people helped him?
A photographer named MacLeod was filming. When the bison knocked Isom-McDaniel down, MacLeod stopped recording and ran at the animal, screaming. Other men joined him. They chased it away.
Has this happened before at Yellowstone?
Multiple times. A twelve-year-old was hurt just weeks before. Last year there were at least two other serious injuries. Bison cause more injuries at Yellowstone than any other animal.
So why do people keep getting hurt if the park has these distance rules?
The rules exist, but enforcing them is hard. People want to see wildlife up close. They underestimate how fast and unpredictable these animals are. A bison can run three times faster than a human.