BOZEMAN, Mont. – On Saturday, an Idaho man was attacked by a sow grizzly bear while hunting in Beattie Gulch near Gardiner.
Bob Legasa is currently recovering in Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) said the bear has no past behavioral issues and that it is currently not considered a problem bear. FWP works closely with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to determine what to do with bear incidents like this one because they are on the endangered species list as threatened.
FWP does not plan to trap the bear.
According to FWP Regional Supervisor Mark Deleray, “We have a survey going on, a flight coming up in the next few days and we’ll be looking into those areas to see if there’s anything unusual.”
“The circumstances of this attack were relatively normal behavior for a female grizzly and a cub. Unfortunately the hunter startled the bear from a close distance and this is the behavior and response we would expect from a bear,” he said.
Deleray added that with general hunting season opening this weekend, hunters should always carry bear spray with them and never hunt alone.
