Story perspectives

Yellowstone Bison Injures Leader, Fractures Femur—Walks Next Day

7/15/2026

Summary

Bison Tosses Leader

On July 10, 2026, a Yellowstone bison tossed community leader Carl Isom-McDaniel into the air, fracturing his femur in four places and breaking several other bones.
Emergency crews air-lifted him for surgery that repaired his femur, allowing him to walk the next day.
Park officials said the bison will not be culled, noted the animals can run 30 mph, weigh up to 2,000 lb and advised visitors stay at least 25 yards away.

Summary

Bison Charge

The July 10 attack occurred during the bison rut, a mating season that sharply increases bull aggression.
Experts Ron Magill and Jennifer Barfield said the rut’s hormone surge makes bulls unpredictable, reinforcing the park’s 25-yard safety guideline.
Photographer Mike MacLeod reported a white pickup may have agitated the bison before it charged the grandfather, marking Yellowstone’s third wildlife injury this summer after a June 26 bison incident and a May bear mauling.

History

Historical Context

The Yellowstone bison herd, rebuilt from just 23 survivors after the 19th-century slaughter, faced a 1995 cull of about 2,500 animals (?15 % of the herd) to curb brucellosis, prompting stricter visitor safety rules. Today, after Carl Isom-McDaniel’s July 10 injury, NPS officials cite that cull and the 2000 Interagency Bison Management Plan to maintain a 25-yard buffer and consider targeted removals.

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Bison Tosses Leader

On July 10, 2026, a Yellowstone bison tossed community leader Carl Isom-McDaniel into the air, fracturing his femur in four places and breaking several other bones.
Emergency crews air-lifted him for surgery that repaired his femur, allowing him to walk the next day.
Park officials said the bison will not be culled, noted the animals can run 30 mph, weigh up to 2,000 lb and advised visitors stay at least 25 yards away.

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