Carl McDaniel, 65, has spoken out after being thrown into the air by a bison's horns in Yellowstone National Park on July 10, 2026. He suffered multiple bone fractures but survived the attack, as seen in a video recorded from his bed at Bozeman Health Deaconess Medical Center in southern Montana.
Victim Recounts the Attack
"He wasn't showing aggression or anything like that until it picked a target. That target happened to be me," McDaniel said in a video posted on Instagram on Saturday. He had been enjoying an after-dinner stroll with his grandson when the incident occurred at Bridge Bay Campground, near Yellowstone Lake.
"They move faster than you could ever imagine. He just kept coming," he added. The bison did not harm his grandson, who was unhurt.
Details of the Attack
The widely shared video showed a bison running between trees as McDaniel tried to escape. The animal emerged from foliage and locked horns with his back. As the bison flicked its head, McDaniel was sent flying high into the air, performing a 360-degree flip before crashing down hard on his side.
Bozeman Health emergency department Dr. Eric Lowe said McDaniel suffered fractures in multiple places. However, McDaniel noted, "I didn't get bruises from him launching me in air. It was the landing that became the problem."
Bison Danger in Yellowstone
Bison are among the most dangerous animals in Yellowstone, capable of accelerating to 35 mph—faster than the men's world record in the 100-meter race. They stand up to 6 feet tall, weigh up to 900 kg, and are North America's largest land animal. Yellowstone records a couple of bison attacks on average each year, with at least two attacks occurring in 2025.
