In the Madison Range southeast of Ennis, Montana, a hunter defended himself by killing a grizzly bear last week. While hunting black bears on private backcountry land on June 5, the individual faced a charging grizzly bear and responded by shooting and fatally injuring the bear with a pistol.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks were promptly informed of the incident and initiated a joint investigation involving the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. The bear’s mortality was confirmed with the assistance of the landowner and the investigation is still ongoing.
Unexpected encounter
Based on available evidence, the bear’s behavior appeared defensive during the close and unexpected encounter with the hunter. The grizzly bear, a 15-year-old female, had previously been captured for research in 2013 and had no known conflicts with humans. No cubs were present with the bear. It is noteworthy that the incident occurred outside the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear recovery zone but within the demographic monitoring area. Again, this is another incident that advises hunters and tourists to be bear-aware, and take the necessary precautions to avoid encounters to ensure the safety of both the bears and yourself.
He attends Clemson University.
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