A hike in the woods to pick berries became a deadly encounter for an elderly man in Montana’s Flathead National Forest.
The 72-year-old man managed to fight off and kill a grizzly bear that attacked him.
New York Post reported:
“The man, who has not been identified, was alone on national forest land when the adult female charged at him on Thursday, leaving him with serious injuries, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials said. During the struggle, he able to fire off a handgun and kill the bear before he was rushed to a local hospital.”
Officials say that the bear was likely a mother trying to defend her cubs. Wildlife workers are searching for cubs in the area.
Flathead National Forest is situated about 2 miles north of Columbia Falls.
“The same day the man was attacked, Fish, Wildlife & Parks shot an adult female grizzly bear that had been breaking into homes and stealing food around the town of Gardner just north of Yellowstone National Park.”
The bear in Gardner became accustomed to finding food in garbage and barbecue grills left outside.
Bear attacks have been in the spotlight in recent months, as protected populations are seen by some to be growing out of control.
“Some 2,000 grizzlies roam western Wyoming, eastern Idaho, western Montana, while several thousand more inhabit the Canadian Rockies and Alaska.”
Grizzly bears can grow to be up to 700 pounds. The species is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
“Elected officials in Rocky Mountain states are pressing federal officials to lift their protected status, which could open the door to future hunting.”
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