Man Dies After Grizzly Bear Mauling in Montana
It is with sadness that we post this follow-up to a story we shared with you on Friday. This must have been a horrific scene.
Associated Press tells us that a back-country guide died after being mauled by a large grizzly bear just outside of Yellowstone National Park. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office says the man had gone fishing and died two days after he was attacked by the bear in a forest several miles north of the town of West Yellowstone.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says the bear was shot and killed after it charged a group of game wardens and others investigating the attack. Officials say they are confident that the bear they killed is the one that attacked. Speculation is the bear was probably defending a nearby moose carcass. They yelled and made continuous noise as they walked toward the site to haze away any bears in the area. Before they reached the site, a bear began charging the group. Despite multiple attempts by all seven people to haze away the bear, it continued its charge. Due to this immediate safety risk, the bear was shot and died about 20 yards from the group. The bear was an older-age male grizzly.
Last week's attack involved a 40-year-old West Yellowstone man, who was mauled just south of the Baker’s Hole campground, about three miles north of West Yellowstone. He was transported to Idaho Falls for treatment of his severe injuries.
The man had bear spray with him, but it’s unclear whether he was able to deploy it during the attack. The U.S. Forest Service issued an emergency public-safety closure in the area Thursday afternoon. That closure remains in effect.