Should You Report a Grizzly Bear Self-Defense Shooting?

AmmoLand ^ | November 13, 2025 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Decades ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a regulatory requirement to report the taking of grizzly bears in self-defense in the lower 48 states.

From 50 C.F.R. 17.40(b)(1)(i)(B):

Grizzly bears may be taken in self-defense or in defense of others, but such taking shall be reported by the individual who has taken the bear or his designee within 5 days of occurrence… 

The penalties for failing to report to the authorities within 5 days are up to six months in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore Ammunition recently created a video about handguns for defense against wild animals. He has interesting experiences and views. At about 33:00 minutes, he puts forward his opinion about the requirement to report grizzly bear self-defense shootings. He talks about the Fifth Amendment. From the transcript:

“And another thing about these protected grizzlies, you know, if you shoot one in self-defense, okay, now you’ve got a certain number of I think it’s 2 days, 3 days to get somewhere to a fishing game department and and notify them.”

“Incriminate yourself.”

“Yeah. And that goes completely against the Fifth Amendment. There is no law that is legal that says you have to go self-incriminate. That’s what the Fifth Amendment is all about.” 

As Sundles mentions, reporting a self-defense shooting has risks. If the government decides to prosecute, it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in defense costs and take up months or years of time. The risks have little to do with the penalties for not reporting. The risks are primarily from being charged with killing a grizzly without justification. The legal standard for justified shooting of a grizzly, even in the lower 48 states, is not high.

Sundles does not mention the risks of not reporting such incidents.

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: banglist; bear; bearrepublic; bearsrepeating; fifth; report; righttoarmbears; thingsiworryabout; unbearable; wildlife

[Racketeer]

I have always wondered which part of the grizzly does the sasquatch eat first.

[myprecious]

I had a cousin move to Alaska years ago.
She was in the yard when a grizzly came into the yard. She was closer to the ladder than the gun, so she climbed up onto the roof and pulled it up behind her. The bear stayed in the yard and kept her on the roof until the husband drove up. She yelled at him to get help since she was safe enough up there.
The husband and gang of neighbors returned and took down the beast as it charged them.
The game warden was summoned. It was an obvious self defense case so no charges would be brought. Unfortunately , the carcass would be forfeited and destroyed in case aggression was due to disease.
However...
The shooting of the grizzly bear occurred, by chance, during a short griz hunting season. There was a fee for hunting without the proper tag, then the carcass would possession of the hunter.
The men all looked at each other then grabbed their wallets. The town had a huge BBQ celebration.

[marktwain]

A significant number of defensive grizzly bear shootings in Alaska are recorded as successful hunting incidents.

[myprecious]

That is one mean apex predator to encounter. One of you is likely going to become dinner. Hopefully, served with sauces, side dishes, and a pie.