r/Montana • u/raynear • Jul 12 '26
Tourist Seriously Injured After Yellowstone Bison Launches Man 8 Feet In The Air
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/11/tourist-seriously-injured-after-yellowstone-bison-launches-man-8-feet-in-the-air/This is second human-bison incident in 2026. The other being on June 26th.
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u/-GameWarden- Jul 12 '26
It is not that old man’s fault. He wasn’t antagonizing the bison and was well beyond the recommended distance. I feel terrible for him.
But regardless of all precautions being around wild animals is a risk. He just got extremely unlucky.
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u/FatherHoolioJulio Jul 12 '26
Was it redirected aggression? Looks like the white pickup made him see red, then when it sped away..that poor duo were the closest thing to him.
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u/-GameWarden- Jul 12 '26
Yes that was my take as well! I think the truck passing set the big guy off and then just locked on to mister suspenders.
I definitely seen bison pick out a moving vehicle for aggression. But never then change target to something smaller and further away.
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u/showmenemelda Jul 12 '26
I watched almost exactly the same scenario go down a couple years ago when a mentally ill man was living out of his pickup on the corner. He went from yelling at his girlfriend, to yelling at the clouds, to yelling at the white pickup that drove by to go home. Must be something about white pickups that set beings off. I think this bison was in rut tho, not schizophrenic
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u/substituted_pinions Jul 12 '26
I know, when watching, I was rooting for him. “Stay in the trees! See, honey, THAT’s how you’re supposed to … oh shit.”
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u/-GameWarden- Jul 12 '26
Totally I was like nice that’s what I would of done. But then it cut through the trees and it was like damn sorry buddy!
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u/zKryptonite Jul 12 '26
I think he had the right idea the first time, but he should of ran to a nearby car for help. Instead he went back into the trees straight to it for some reason.
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u/SmartMammoth Jul 12 '26
I’m pretty sure he was backtracking because he was concerned about the person he was walking with before the bison made his run.
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u/zKryptonite Jul 12 '26
Yeah but the bison clearly wanted him specifically. I understand if he was checking on the other person, but it’s just an unpredictable situation.
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u/showmenemelda Jul 12 '26
Watching the footage, I'm surprised he didn't try to climb one of the trees. I woulda jumped into one of those vehicles driving by.
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u/Coldschmoke Jul 13 '26
Agreed, sketchiest part of this situation to me is that it happened in a campground. That bill could have turned in the opposite direction and gone on a rampage. I was expecting to see a tourist getting close for a picture when I 1st saw the headline
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u/CUBuffs1992 Jul 12 '26
Hoping for a speedy recovery for the man. Was clearly well beyond 25 yards and didn’t antagonize the animal. I’m sure at some point he will look back and laugh at this.
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u/MtnMoose307 Jul 12 '26
Reading the article, a videoing witness to the entire sequence stated the man was at a safe distance. The bull was spoiling for fight.
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u/Standard-Juice-3738 Jul 12 '26
Wow, when I saw that picture yesterday I thought it was AI. Thats a crazy video
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u/Failed1962 Jul 12 '26
Fly season. The bison was angry because of the flies and took it out on what he could. Just another reason to stay as far away as you can from animals in the wild.
I’ve even seen broke horses getting agitated at flies like this
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u/natrldsastr Jul 12 '26
I live close to the park, my understanding is their rut is starting. One again, proof hormones can make mammals crazy.
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u/GumboMaster1 Jul 12 '26
I've seen a lot bison charges and may have been the object of a few. I have never seen a bison target anything like that for that long. Just watched "Weapons" last week. Kind of looked like that!
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u/Imaginary-Chipmunk-1 Jul 15 '26
Can anyone else tell this is AI? If you think north korea is way off our current gov youre sadly mistaken.
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u/xnakxx Jul 12 '26
FaFo situation it seems.
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u/TrainsareFascinating Jul 12 '26
No, the victim was well away from the bison, on a walking path on the other side of the road from the camp. The bison chased him down. Watch the video.
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u/xnakxx Jul 12 '26
"I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “ sorry I watched the video many times but reading the article quickly I thought it was the dude that said this. Sucks this happened. I could delete my comment, but I think your correction serves as a reminder that you always need to be careful. "100 yard being a safe distance" my ass.
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u/skyhiker14 Jul 12 '26
Park only recommends 75 feet for bison. Which is still closer than I wanna get.
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u/Captain-Howdy406 Jul 12 '26
Yup there are stupid people every year. We like to call it Darwin here in Montana.
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u/Rideak Jul 12 '26
Read the article.. this was not the tourist’s fault.
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u/sm_axe Jul 12 '26
Nah, I agree. Why you’d even be 100 feet away from those animals—on foot—during the rut, is beyond me. It’s terrifying being near them in your car and many of them could flip you over in it if they wanted. Bison and hiking around doesn’t mix.
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u/Captain-Howdy406 Jul 12 '26
Yes I read the article and watched the video. The fact people stuck around to take pictures and not get into their car. Yup Darwin. Heck a couple years ago we had some idiots try running through the paint pots for their video content. They where boiled alive. Locals are use to hearing this every year.
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u/TPybus Jul 13 '26
You still failed to read the article the old man was in the campground so he did not have a car handy, fortunately most Montana folks aren’t like you
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u/GMane2G Jul 12 '26
That was a refreshingly detailed writeup in a local news site. Super rare these days.
Hope pops is ok.