Grizzly bear attack – Syndication Server

Two college wrestlers seriously injured in grizzly bear attack

The bear came out of nowhere and began mauling one wrestler. When another tried pulling the bear off him, he was attacked, too.

Two college wrestlers suffered serious injuries in a grizzly bear attack while hunting for shed antlers with teammates Saturday afternoon in the South Fork outside Cody, Wyoming.

Kendell Cummings of Evanston and Brady Lowry of Cedar City, Utah—both sophomores at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming—were with two other members of the wrestling team when they became separated as they hiked down a mountain, according to the Cowboy State Daily.

A grizzly bear came out of nowhere and began attacking Lowry, and when Cummings rushed in to try to pull the bear off Lowry, the grizzly started attacking him.

All four possessed bear spray, but the attack happened so quickly the two victims had no time to react.

“They’re alive and doing well, for what happened,” Northwest College athletic director Brian Erickson told the Cowboy State Daily.

“We’re praying for those kids and their families and the rest of the team and their coach.”

Northwest College President Lisa Watson stated in a release that the victims were helped to their vehicles by the other teammates and help was summoned.

The Cowboy State Daily reported that multiple people on social media said Park County Search and Rescue and other emergency staff responded to the incident.

Cummings was immediately life-flighted to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Montana. Lowry was taken to Cody Regional Health by ambulance and a few hours later was life-flighted to Billings.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Hunter uses two guns to stop attacking grizzly bear

Each have already undergone “multiple surgeries,” according to the report, but are expected to live.

“I am so grateful for those who assisted these brave young men in the aftermath of this terrifying ordeal and that no lives were lost,” Watson stated in the release, according to the Cowboy State Daily. “It took quick thinking and no small amount of bravery for this to have ended without tragedy.”

Generic photos courtesy of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and National Park Service.

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Hunter uses two guns to stop attacking grizzly bear

A bird hunter in Montana was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a grizzly bear.

A bird hunter in Montana was knocked down and stepped on by a grizzly bear that came charging out of heavy brush after the man went to flush a bird.

The unidentified 51-year-old hunter from Washington was hunting upland game birds Tuesday afternoon with his wife and dogs in a creek bottom east of Choteau when the encounter occurred, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital where he stayed overnight. The injuries were not specified, but they weren’t claw or bite marks.

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They were hunting on private property when their dogs went on point, Dave Hagengruber of the state wildlife department told Associated Press. The man went to flush a bird and a grizzly came charging out instead. The man fired at the bear with a shotgun and handgun, wounding the grizzly and sending it back into the thick brush.

The couple and dogs left and notified authorities. Wildlife officials, using a drone, tracked down the bear and, because of its injuries, was euthanized, Hagengruber said.

The 677-pound adult male grizzly bear had no known previous history of human conflict and had never been handled by bear managers. Evidence at the site suggested the attack was the result of a surprise encounter.

The MFWP offers tips to guard against surprise encounters and to remain vigilant and safe in bear country, which includes the western half of Montana:

Carry bear spray in an easily accessible location and be prepared to use it immediately.
Look for bear sign and be cautious around creeks and areas with limited visibility.
Hunt with a group of people. Making localized noise can alert bears to your presence.
Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.
Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site as soon as possible.
If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during processing, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 150 yards from the gut pile. Leave it where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.
Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.

Generic grizzly photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

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Grizzly bear killed after attack near Yellowstone National Park

A grizzly bear that attacked a 40-year-old man Thursday outside Yellowstone National Park was shot and killed the next day as wildlife officials investigated the scene.

The attack occurred south of Baker’s Hole Campground, three miles north of the town of West Yellowstone and the park’s West Entrance.

The unidentified man, who was transferred to Idaho Falls for treatment, was in serious condition as of late Friday. He was in possession of bear spray but it remained unclear whether any spray was used against the bear.

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The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department explained in a news release that seven investigators, including bear specialists, visited the attack site Friday and were met by a charging bear.

“Despite multiple attempts by all seven people to haze away the bear, it continued its charge,” the agency stated. “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.”

A moose carcass was discovered nearby, indicating that the bear was trying to defend its food source.

A safety closure remained in effect in the area as of late Friday.

With grizzly bears emerging from hibernation, and with warmer weather inviting more tourists into bear country, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks used the incident to remind visitors to follow these guidelines while in the wilderness:

• Be aware of your surroundings and look for bear sign.
• Read signs at trailheads and stay on trails. Be especially careful around creeks and in areas with dense brush.
• Carry bear spray. Know how to use it and be prepared to deploy it immediately.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Back away slowly and leave the area.

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service