It’s nice to know everybody’s okay after the viral video of an older man getting absolutely demolished by a rampaging bison in Yellowstone National Park. It’s one of those clips that’s a little funny but mostly unbelievable, in the kind of way that would make you feel awful if the guy hadn’t survived, because 65-year-old men are not designed to achieve brief, involuntary flight.
But they sure can be catapulted.
That man was Carl Isom-McDaniel, who suffered multiple broken bones after a bull bison charged him at Bridge Bay Campground on Friday evening. Wildlife photographer Mike McLeod just happened to be on hand filming the animal as it was roaming around the campground, tossing itself onto the ground to roll around in some dirt, before spotting Isom-McDaniel and his grandson.
The grandson escaped around a cluster of trees. Isom-McDaniel tried to do the same, but the Bison got wise to the runaround routine. The bison got a clear view of him, hooked him near the hip with a horn, and launched him roughly eight feet into the air before standing over him.
The Yellowstone Tourists Actually Weren’t at Fault… This Time
MacLeod, who has a background in wildlife biology and combat photography, said he dropped his camera and rushed toward the animal, waving his arms and yelling. Other campers joined in, and they collectively distracted the bison long enough for it to saunter off. Ten minutes later, Park medics arrived and took Isom-McDaniel to a hospital.
When you first hear about this story, you’re probably inclined to believe that either Isom-McDaniel or his grandson antagonized the bison or otherwise irritated it in some way that would warrant such a reaction. They did no such thing. They took their pictures of it as it rolled around in the dirt, all while maintaining their distance, and then calmly walked away to carry on with their evening, and apparently the bison took issue with that.
All of this is backed up not just by the footage but by MacLeod, who said the campers had maintained a “respectful distance,” according to The New York Times. The bison didn’t care, probably because it was agitated since mating season had just begun, which just so happens to coincide with the beginning of Yellowstone’s peak summer tourism season, when park regulations require visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison.
You can maintain proper distance, follow all the rules, and play as safe as you can, and there are just some days when the bison is still going to try to launch you to the moon.