Man Suffers ‘Serious Injuries’ in Grizzly Bear Attack While Hunting with Father in Canada

In British Columbia, a man suffered “serious injuries” after being attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting with his father, Canadian authorities announced Friday.

The 36-year-old man and his father were tracking a bear with dogs Thursday near Elkford — a remote area about 80 miles southwest of Calgary — when an adult grizzly suddenly attacked him, the police said. Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a press release. Despite suffering broken bones and lacerations during the attack, the man managed to defend himself with his weapon and the bear fled. His father called for help.

The victim suffered “serious injuries” and was transported by helicopter to a Calgary hospital, where he remains, according to the Conservation Officer Service. The man was in stable condition when he was taken from the scene, police said.

Initially, there was no indication whether the grizzly bear was alive or injured. After an extensive search, around 9 p.m. local time, conservation officers found a dead grizzly bear in the area. Officers said they were confident it was the bear involved in the attack and that it had succumbed to its gunshot wounds.

Conservation officers were working with Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers to interview the victim and collect evidence.

Grizzly bear attacks are rare, but there have been a few incidents in recent months in Canada and the United States. Last fall, a Canadian a couple and their dog were killed by a grizzly bear while hiking in Banff National Park. The couple’s nephew said they sent a last worrying message they sent from their GPS device: “Bear Attack Bad”.

A few weeks earlier, a hunter from Montana was severely mutilated by a grizzly bear.

Last July, a grizzly bear fatally mauled woman on forest trail west of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was later euthanized after breaking into a home near West Yellowstone in August.

Also that month, a 21-year-old woman planting trees was arrested. seriously injured by a bear in British Columbia. Canadian authorities have been unable to locate the animal, but believe it was a grizzly bear that attacked the woman.

In October 2022, a grizzly bear attacked and injured two college wrestlers in the Shoshone National Forest in northwest Wyoming.

Grizzly bears in the contiguous 48 states are protected as a threatened species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Last month, the U.S. National Park Service announced the launch of a campaign to capture grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park for research purposes. The agency urged the public to avoid areas with traps, which would be clearly marked.