A grizzly bear visits a hair snare corral in southwest Montana, June 2021.
(Provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
A man hunting south of Hidden Lakes in the Gallatin Range shot a sow grizzly bear on Saturday afternoon after it reportedly charged him, forcing him into a tree. The bear was later killed by staff with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
According to FWP and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, the hunter called 911 just after 2 p.m. Saturday from a tree, from where he had shot the bear with a pistol. He reported being charged by the bear and two cubs he said were along with it, according to the two offices.
The bear was injured and stayed close to the tree, the sheriff’s office said. FWP grizzly specialists and game wardens were flown into the area in a helicopter and killed the injured bear after landing.
Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue assists in the search for a hunter treed by a grizzly bear on Oct. 5, 2024. (Photo courtesy Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue)
They found the hunter, who was not injured, and he was taken out of the field by helicopter.
FWP spokesperson Morgan Jacobsen said while the hunter reported being charged by cubs as well as their mother, FWP staff did not see any cubs or cub tracks in the area after flying it several times.
FWP said the shooting is under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bear is the first grizzly killed in Montana in October and the first since Sept. 19. It is the 24th known human-caused grizzly death this calendar year, according to FWP’s newly launched grizzly bear mortality dashboard.
Grizzlies are entering the time of the year in which they develop hyperphagia and are almost consistently focused on eating as they prepare to hibernate through the winter.
It is also a time that overlaps with hunting season in Montana; hunters and outdoor recreationists should always carry bear spray, travel in groups, make noise, and keep garbage, food and other attractants in secure bins or buildings, FWP said.