Grizzly kills couple, dog in Banff; bear injures woman near Polebridge
Bear-human encounters continue in the northern Rockies.
A man, a woman and their dog were killed in an attack by a grizzly bear, according to reporting by CBC News.
At about 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, Parks Canada Dispatch in Banff National Park received an alert from an inReach/GPS device indicating a bear attack. The alert location originated from within Banff National Park, in the Red Deer River Valley, west of Ya Ha Tinda Ranch.
Parks Canada immediately mobilized a Wildlife Human Attack Response Team whose members are specially trained in responding to wildlife attacks. Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team travelled through the night to the location by ground.
The response team arrived on-site at 1 a.m. and discovered two deceased individuals. While in the area, the response team encountered a grizzly bear that displayed aggressive behavior, leading Parks Canada staff to euthanize the bear on-site to ensure public safety. Sundre Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived at 5 a.m. to assist and the victims were transported to Sundre, Alberta.
Woman injured in bear attack near Polebridge
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, a woman was hospitalized in an encounter with a bear Sunday near the U.S.-Canada border north of Polebridge in Flathead County.
At about 3 p.m., Oct. 1, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks staff were notified that a woman was attacked along the bank of Trail Creek a few miles west of the North Fork Road. The A.L.E.R.T. air ambulance transported the 73-year-old victim to Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell.
FWP wardens and bear specialists are actively investigating the incident and monitoring the site along Trail Creek known as the “Bubble ups” where the creek flows underground before rising to the surface.
The site is closed while the investigation continues. The type of bear is unconfirmed at this time.
The victim was on national forestland with her husband and dog when the bear emerged from thick brush and attacked her. Her husband deployed bear spray and the bear moved away from the victim.
They returned to their vehicle and drove to a location where they could call emergency services.
Hunter kills grizzly near Gardiner
A hunter killed a grizzly bear Sept. 26 in an encounter in Beattie Gulch, an area north of Gardiner and Yellowstone National Park.
The hunter was reportedly charged by the bear before shooting and killing the bear at close range in self-defense. The hunter was not injured.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks received a report of the incident the same day. FWP staff and staff from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and National Park Service visited the site and confirmed the bear mortality.
An animal carcass was found nearby and FWP bear specialists and game wardens determined the bear was likely acting defensively.
This incident is still under investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Tips for recreating in bear country:
Carry bear spray close at hand and know how to use it.
Travel in groups whenever possible.
Make noise, especially near streams or in thick forest where hearing and visibility is limited. This can be the key to avoiding encounters. Most bears will avoid humans when they know they are present.
If you are attacked by a bear and you are without a deterrent or the deterrent hasn’t worked, stay face down on the ground, protecting your face and neck with your arms. Stay still until you’re certain the bear has moved away.
Avoid carcass sites and concentrations of ravens and other scavengers.
Watch for signs of bears such as scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.
Don't approach a bear.
For more information on being bear aware, visit fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.