Man hospitalized, grizzly bear dead following encounter near Columbia Falls

A man who state wildlife officials say a man shot and killed a grizzly bear Thursday after he was attacked while berry-picking in Northwest Montana.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) reports a 72-year-old man was taken to the hospital following the incident which happened about two miles north of Columbia Falls.

According to a news release, the man was alone off North Fork Road in the Flathead National Forest when the attack happened.

The man reported shooting the bear with a handgun after it charged and attacked him. FWP has “determined it to be a surprise defensive encounter,” the release states.

Game wardens and bear specialists responded to the area and found that an adult female grizzly bear was killed.

No further information is being released at this time.

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FWP provided the following information about how to be “bear aware” when heading into the backcountry:

• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs, turned-over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it.
• Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building from March until December. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
• Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.

Visit https://fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware to learn more about how to be “bear aware” in Montana.