Bison Charges Pickup Truck in Yellowstone, Causing Damage

A driver's early-morning trip through Yellowstone National Park took a frightening turn when a bison suddenly charged his pickup truck, causing damage to the vehicle. The incident occurred around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday near Mud Volcano.

A video shared on Facebook shows the massive animal standing on a dark roadway before rushing toward the vehicle and slamming into the front of the truck. The driver, identified as Kyle Weber, a seasonal mechanic working in Yellowstone, had stopped his Ford Ranger after spotting the bull bison on the road.

Rather than attempting to pass, Weber told Cowboy State Daily that he hit the brakes and waited for the bison to move. After he waited, the animal remained on the roadway and then unexpectedly charged the pickup, striking its front-left side. Weber estimated the impact pushed his truck backward at least a foot and a half.

The collision dented the truck's bumper and hood, and it broke a side marker light, according to the outlet. Weber plans to replace the damaged parts but may keep the dented hood as a reminder of the encounter.

This incident follows another notable bison encounter in Yellowstone National Park in July. In that case, a bull bison charged and injured a grandfather, Carl Isom-McDaniel, who was visiting the park with his grandson at Bridge Bay Campground. Isom-McDaniel was reportedly thrown into the air and sustained multiple femur fractures, requiring surgery.