A 65-year-old grandfather, Carl McDaniel, was hospitalized with a broken femur after a bison charged and tossed him into the air at Yellowstone National Park’s Bridge Bay Campground.

Incident Details

McDaniel was visiting the park with his 13-year-old grandson when they encountered a large bison that appeared to be rolling around in the dust. After a truck drove by and laid on its horn, the bison became agitated and began running toward the pair.

McDaniel told his grandson to run in one direction and he went the other to try and draw the bison away. The animal then pushed McDaniel with the top of its head, sending him flying into the air before he hit the ground.

A photographer, Mike MacLeod, captured the encounter on video and had to step in to stop the bison from further harming McDaniel. Park emergency medical personnel responded and transported McDaniel to a nearby hospital.

Recovery and Warning

McDaniel broke his femur in four places near his hip and suffered several bruises. He had surgery and is expected to undergo physical therapy to recover. The National Park Service advises visitors to stay at least 25 feet away from bison at all times and to never approach the animals.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.