Mama grizzly with cubs charges hunter who climbs tree to escape, Montana officials say

A hunter climbed a tree to escape a mother grizzly bear and her two large cubs while in Montana’s backcountry last weekend, wildlife officials said.

But the move didn’t stop the protective mother from charging, and he shot her from up in the tree, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said in an Oct. 7 news release.

The shot injured the bear, which stayed nearby at the location south of Hidden Lakes in the Gallatin Range as the hunter called 911 from the tree to report his location, officials said. Game wardens flew to the location in a helicopter and euthanized the injured bear when they arrived.

They found the uninjured hunter, but weren’t able to find any sign of the cubs or their tracks from the air or the ground, even after flying the area multiple times, officials said.

The hunter flew in the helicopter to safety, Gallatin County Search and Rescue said in an Oct. 7 post on Facebook.

Wildlife staff confirmed the euthanized bear was an adult female. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the incident.

“Carry bear spray and hunt in groups if possible,” the agency said. “Avoid areas where (signs of bears are) present and always have a communication device to call for help if something goes wrong.”

Several people commented on the post, saying they were disappointed the hunter shot the bear. Others wondered what happened to her cubs.

“Same story every hunting season…” one commenter said.

Another said they thought bear spray would have been “more effective (and humane) than shooting a bear with a pistol,” and the agency weighed in.

“Any studies are preliminary, but that is what the data is showing,” the agency said. “What means of bear protection you choose is a personal decision, but so far, it seems like bear spray is the more effective plan.”

Wildlife officials reminded the public, including hunters, to be extra cautious in bear country, especially as grizzly populations grow and the bears become more common in Montana, “increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year.”

Bears are also most active for longer periods of time during the fall as they search for food to bulk up for hibernation, officials said.

“This period overlaps with hunting season and other fall recreation activities,” officials said.

“Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season,” especially in grizzly country, “which includes much of the western two-thirds of Montana,” officials said.

Grizzly bears are listed as a threatened species in the lower 48 states, officials said.

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What to do if you see a bear

Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.

There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.

— Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.

— Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.

— Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.

— Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.

— Hike in groups:A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.

— Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.

— Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.

— Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.

— Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.

— Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.

Hunters should also:

— “Watch for and be extra cautious around bear sign” — including prints, poop, and claw marks or rub marks on trees — and “creeks and areas with limited visibility,” officials said. “Most attacks happen in surprise, close encounters.”

— Hunt in groups, which helps you make more localized noise to alert bears to your presence so you’re less likely to sneak up and surprise them, and also helps your chances of surviving a bear attack.

— Remember that elk calls and cover scents (scents and materials used to mask human scents from prey animals such as deer) can attract bears.

— Bring the proper equipment and the appropriate amount of people to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site as soon as possible to avoid attracting bears to the area.

— Hang any part of meat you need to leave in the field at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 150 yards from the gut pile, where it can be seen from at least 200 yards away.

— Look at the meat through binoculars first before returning for it and make lots of noise when you approach it. If the meat has been disturbed in any way or if a bear is already in the area, leave it and call wildlife officials.

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