Bison-Tossed Grandpa Now Speaks: He's OK

Over the weekend, we brought you the news of a grandfather in Yellowstone National Park who became the target of an enraged bull bison. Plenty of people get themselves in these kinds of predicaments by being careless or dumb, but not this time. The man in question, now identified as 65-year-old Carl Ison-McDaniel, did nothing to provoke the animal; he didn't approach too closely, he didn't appear to make any sudden moves, and when the animal charged, it looked like he was trying to distract it from his grandson.

That's a heck of a guy, right there.

Mr. McDaniel, who has now earned his Man Card for the rest of his life, is banged up but, as we learned on Monday, is resting well despite his injuries and reached out on social media to let his ever-increasing legions of admirers know he's OK.

The grandfather tossed by a bison at Yellowstone National Park’s Bridge Bay Campground has a long road of recovery ahead of him but is expected to recover.
He was even making jokes about it in the moments after it happened, the photographer who witnessed the event tells Cowboy State Daily.
Carl Ison-McDaniel, 65, of Kendall, Washington, broke his femur in four places after being tossed airborne by a bull bison Friday. He remains hospitalized as he recovers from being thrown at least 8 feet off the ground and landing hard
On Sunday, he posted a brief note on Facebook.
“Thank you everyone I am OK,” he wrote.
Mike MacLeod, a photographer from Bozeman, Montana, said he’s been in contact with McDaniel’s grandson, who was with him when it occurred.
“(The family) seems to be protecting their privacy, so I don’t want to pry any more than I already have,” he told Cowboy State Daily.

In case you missed the amazing video, here it is:

If you know bison, or big ungulates in general, the warning signs are clear. This beast was shaking its head and lashing its tail, all signs of agitation. When it's tail went straight up, that's a surefire sign that it's gone into target-acquisition mode, and the unfortunate Mr. Ison-McDaniel, for reasons unknown, became the target.

It just goes to show, once again, that 1) big critters are dangerous, and 2) while it's common for knuckleheads to get banged up, sometimes it happens even if you do everything right.

It's good that Mr. McDaniel is OK, because he apparently has a busy life to get back to:

Originally from Bothell, McDaniel has lived in Kendall for 25 years. He’s passionate about building community and new parks in East Whatcom County. He was one of the driving forces behind the Foothills Communication Hub, a monthly publication aiming to connect the rural community to resources and each other.

An adult bull Plains Bison (Bison bison) can stand well over six feet at the shoulder and can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. They're fast, too; an adult can run up to 40 miles per hour. Add in inch-thick skin, the matted black hair on head and neck that is very nearly armor, and the big hooked murder-spikes on their head, and this can be a very dangerous critter indeed.

Now, though, we are satisfied to know that Carl Ison-McDaniel is recovering and that he's going to be all right. This affair could have turned out very differently.

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