‘Just bad luck’: Photographer explains how Yellowstone bison attack unfolded

A Washington man is recovering after being injured in a bison attack at Yellowstone National Park’s Bridge Bay Campground.

The attack happened around 8:30 p.m. Friday. The injured man was identified by Cascadia Daily News as 65-year-old Carl Isom-McDaniel of Whatcom County.

According to the report, the bison, which can weigh about 2,000 pounds and run up to 30 mph, initially charged a group of teenage boys. The boys scattered, but the animal continued charging through the campground before striking Isom-McDaniel and throwing him into the air.

“I mean, there were a lot of people watching this,” professional photographer Mike MacLeod explained to Montana TV station KTVQ. “My wife saw a bull bison come into the campground, and it wasn’t just walking. But there were these young boys standing by a tent, and they were-they had their phones out. And for whatever reason, the bison, which was still like 50 to 100 feet away, just charged them.”

The bison lay on the ground as Isom-McDaniel appeared to watch the animal from a distance with a pair of binoculars. The moment the bison abruptly stood up, Isom-McDaniel and his grandchild started walking away.

“Apparently, that really agitated that bison even that far away. You saw as soon as the bison stood up, the grandfather’s like, ‘No, we’re out of here’, and so he left, and then the grandson followed,” MacLeod said. “So, the grandfather eventually got hooked, got tossed into the air.”

After a quick chase through and around a small thicket of trees, the bison caught up to Isom-McDaniel, hooked him under a leg, jerked his head up, and sent Isom-McDaniel flipping through the air. When he landed, several other campers jumped in to help.

“One guy kind of held the perimeter to make sure the bison wasn’t coming back. A lady was on the phone with 911,” said MacLeod. “Another guy was holding the fella’s hand the whole time because he was severely injured on his right side, and people just like came from everywhere to help out the situation.”

Despite being badly injured, he maintained his sense of humor

“When he was out 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 a 9.5 out of 10,’ and he’s like, ‘Well, if you just caught me five years ago, I could have done better,'” MacLeod explained. “So, he was jovial, trying to make light of his pain, but he was obviously in a lot of pain.”

Park emergency medical personnel treated Isom-McDaniel at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Hospital officials said he suffered multiple broken bones but is in stable condition.

Isom-McDaniel is a community leader in Whatcom County and serves on several local boards, including the Foothills Community Alliance and the Columbia Valley Water and Parks districts, according to Cascadia Daily News.

Yellowstone National Park officials had not publicly commented on the attack, as of this reporting.

Bison are the largest land mammals in North America and are responsible for more injuries to visitors in Yellowstone than any other wild animal. Park officials routinely remind visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and other large wildlife.

From the video and witness accounts, Isom-McDaniel and his grandchild were standing well beyond that safe distance.

MacLeod, who has studied and photographed wildlife in Yellowstone for years, summarized, “I think the video does really speak for itself because most people, even though they don’t have any expertise in animal behavior … they were doing the right thing. Just … bad luck.”

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