Posted on 08/08/2015 9:39:07 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Preliminary results of the investigation into the recent death of a hiker in Yellowstone National Park show that the man was attacked by a grizzly bear. While the exact cause of death has not been determined, investigators have identified what appear to be defensive wounds on the victims forearms. The victims body was found partially consumed and cached, or covered, in the vicinity of the Elephant Back Loop Trail near Lake Village on Friday afternoon. Based on partial tracks found at the scene, it appears that an adult female grizzly and at least one cub-of-the-year were present and likely involved in the incident.
The name of the individual is being withheld pending family notification. The Montana man was a long-term seasonal employee of Medcor, the company that operates three urgent care clinics in the park. He had worked and lived in Yellowstone for five seasons and was an experienced hiker. He was reported missing on Friday morning when he did not report for work. A park ranger found his body in a popular off-trail area he was known to frequent, approximately .5 miles from the Elephant Back Loop Trail. Additional park rangers and wildlife biologists responded to the scene and gathered evidence for bear DNA recovery. The investigation will continue, although heavy rains in the area Friday evening and Saturday morning have made additional evidence recovery difficult. A forensic autopsy is currently scheduled for Monday.
Wildlife biologists set bear traps in the area on Friday evening. If bears are trapped and identified as having been involved in the attack, they will be euthanized.
We may not be able to conclusively determine the circumstances of this bear attack, but we will not risk public safety, said Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim as they work to cope with the loss of someone who loved Yellowstone so very much.
The Elephant Back Loop Trail and immediate area is closed until further notice. Signs are posted and maps of the closure area are available at park visitor centers.
All of Yellowstone National Park is considered bear country. Hikers are advised to stay on designated trails, travel in groups of three or more people, carry bear spray, be alert for bears, and make noise to help avoid surprise encounters.
That’s terrible. Those things are ferocious...
Prayers for the family.
I hear a lot of jokes about bears and pepper spray, but the authorities are suggesting you carry it.
Does anyone know if the spray can annoy a bear enough to allow you to get away, or does it, as the jokes go, just make it angrier and more aggressive?
Forget the bear spray and the Parks recommendations... Carry a .44 or larger caliber handgun if you want to live.
Congratulations to the cub on its award.
So will there be outrage at the grizzly bear like there was for the guy who killed the lion?
#HumanLivesMatter
Guess you didn’t hear, dentists have been banned from all United States National Parks until Barry returns from his island off of Kennedy land.
search Montana Bear spray
One can is often not enough. Even if one can is temporarily successful. A hungry bear may track you as you try to walk back to where your vehicle is parked ... for another predatory attack.
Bears are known to roll in the junk if one sprays around their tent before going to bed.
Little brass dinner bells do not work for self defense, either.
The estimated Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear population increased from 136 in 1975 to between 674 and 839 in 2014, and the bears have gradually expanded their occupied habitat by more than 50%.
... and ...
Eight total human conflicts with grizzly bears occurred inside the park in 2013, compared to an average of 6 a year during 19902012. Six of the conflicts involved property damage, 1 resulted in a food reward, and 1 human injury occurred. Learn More: Your Safety in Bear Country...
Or an AR-10.
Carry bear spray and then just to be sure a .454 Casul. :-)
Just hand the bear your picanick basket, right Booboo?
I’m told bears particularly love the scent of gluten-free products...
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice:
In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear
conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game
is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra
precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.
We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on
their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren’t
expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry
pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a
bear.
It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear
activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference
between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop
is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur.
Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper
spray.
Does every cub who kills a human get one?
Once the hunt was announced, the Sierra club pukes promptly sued the federal government.
The baby elk are gone now (80% killed shortly after birth) and humans are looking like a great snack when there are too many of them for the habitat and food supply.
How did elk survive when grizzlies roamed free?
Yes...that was the standard joke I have seen.
Granted, this is not a humorous incident, but I did reference the joke.
I suspect there were a lot more elk then.
I have a friend who was involved in a black bear attack years ago. They can absorb a very large amount of lead and continue the attack. Not sure any handgun caliber would give any assurance against a grizzly bear.
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