Montana hunters kill grizzly bear during surprise encounter

Two men from Whitefish, Montana, shot and killed a grizzly bear Saturday in self-defense while scouting in advance of hunting season.

One of the men was shot in the back shoulder during the chaotic afternoon encounter in the Whitefish Range. The man was treated at a nearby hospital.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks stated in a news release that the men were in dense woods when they surprised a female grizzly bear with one cub. The adult bear charged and the men shot and killed the animal.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks explained that the bear’s behavior appeared to have been in defense of her cub. She did not have a history of conflict with humans.

The bear, tagged by researchers in 2009, was about 25 years old.

As of late Monday, FWP had not located the cub.

The agency determined after an investigation that the bear was shot in self-defense. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with the findings.

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas