BOZEMAN, Mont., July 26 (Bozeman Times) — A Yellowstone visitor is recovering in Bozeman after a bison attack that left him with multiple broken bones and renewed attention on one of the park’s most basic safety rules: keep your distance from wildlife.
What happened at Yellowstone?
Carl Isom-McDaniel, who was also identified in some coverage as Carl McDaniel, was hurt on July 10 at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake, according to the National Park Service and the visitor’s own account shared from a hospital bed.
In the video, Isom-McDaniel said he was with his grandson when the bison first did not seem aggressive. He said the animal later focused on him, 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 said the landing caused the worst of the damage. A doctor quoted in the Bozeman Health video said the injury was “broken in multiple pieces.” Other coverage based on the same video said he suffered a broken femur in four places and multiple bone fractures.
He underwent surgery and was recovering at Bozeman Health in Bozeman, Montana, which is part of the reason the incident has drawn local attention as well as national attention.
What did Yellowstone say?
The National Park Service told CNN that park emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and transported Isom-McDaniel to a nearby hospital.
The park service also repeated its standard safety advice: visitors should stay at least 25 yards away from bison and never approach them.
That advice matters because bison may look calm from a distance, but they are large wild animals and can become dangerous very quickly if people get too close.
Why does this matter for Bozeman and Yellowstone visitors?
The attack happened inside a federal park that draws millions of visitors each year, and the recovery took place in Bozeman, a regional medical hub for southwest Montana.
For anyone visiting Yellowstone, the episode is a reminder that the park’s wildlife is not tame. The safest choice is to give animals space, follow posted rules and move away if a bison changes direction or seems agitated.
Isom-McDaniel’s account put that warning in plain language from a hospital bed: “They move faster than you could ever imagine.”
