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Information released by the US Fish and Wildlife Service shows the number of grizzly bears killed in defense of human life is 5-10 times greater than previously thought.On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a proposal to revise the listing of the grizzly bears in the contiguous 48 states. The proposal includes the most complete information on grizzly bear mortality to date.Studies to determine how effective various tools are in defending against grizzly bear attacks suffer from serious selection bias. If the defense is successful and no humans are harmed, the chance of the attack...

On June 21, 2024, Governor DeSantis of Florida signed HB87, restoring the right of people to protect themselves, their pets, and their homes against aggressive black bears. The law went into effect on July 1, 2024.From July to December 2024, FWC recorded four instances where people killed bears, but were not charged because of the new law. There were seven situations where people were charged with illegal kills. In 2021, during the same period, there were 17 illegal kills recorded; in 2022, there were seven illegal kills recorded during the same period. In 2023, there were seven illegal kills recorded...

On the evening of May 21, 2025, Justin Lee and his brother-in-law, John Long, were charged by a grizzly bear and were forced to shoot it in self-defense.They were hunting for mushrooms along Spring Creek, on a property owned by Justin, a few miles north of Choteau, Montana. Both men are longtime residents of the area. The creek has lots of mature cottonwoods, waist-high dead grass, and a fair amount of brush in some areas. Justin and John drove to the property on a side-by-side four-wheeler. When they were close to the area where mushrooms had been found, they parked...

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations of the world are essentially the same animal, although known by different names. The European brown bear, the Hokkaido brown bear in Japan, the brown bear in Russia, the grizzly bear and kodiak bears in Alaska, and the grizzly bears in Canada and the lower 48 states are genetically the same bear with minor variations. Brown bears are complex mammals that can learn and adapt. Brown bears quickly learn whether humans are dangerous or not. When brown bears are actively hunted, they learn humans are dangerous predators and learn to avoid humans. When the...

Few studies have examined the effectiveness of firearms in defense against bears. This may be because early experience with modern firearms against bears showed them to be incredibly effective compared to muzzleloading firearms, which were far superior to bows and spears.Before Christopher Columbus pioneered a regular and profitable way to travel to the Caribbean and the New World, Amerindians had difficulty defending themselves and their food against grizzly bears.Grizzly bears migrated into the area occupied by the 48 contiguous states a bit after humans, about 12,000 to 16,000 years ago. The bears originated in Europe and Asia, and had colonized...

A man shot and killed a grizzly bear Friday after it charged while he was shed hunting near Dupuyer in north-central Montana. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the man was searching for antlers on a brushy hillside when he first saw the bear. As he was leaving, the bear charged him at close range and he shot the bruin. The man was not injured. The adult female grizzly was healthy with no history of conflict. She was estimated to be 13 years old and weighed about 250 pounds. The sow had a single yearling cub that was found...

The Year-Long Day is a factual account of an overwinter in the Svalbard Archipelago, trapping foxes and hunting polar bears. It was published in 1976 and is a fascinating true story of survival and adventure. In the Arctic winter of 1970 to 1971, a trapper/hunter in the Svalbard Archipelago had to protect himself several times with gunfire from polar bears.This is not particularly unusual. It was unusual for Ivar Ruud to keep a detailed diary, make a movie, and have a book published about his experiences. Most arctic trappers and hunters do not keep detailed diaries, make movies, and...

Restrictions on semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns have been ruled unconstitutional under the Second Amendment in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The order is a permanent injunction against enforcement of the state legislation in the case of Harrel v Raoul on 8 November 2024. It is commonly known as an “assault weapon” and magazine ban.Judge Stephen P. McGlynn addressed two basic arguments in his order. The first is whether semi-automatic rifles and magazines for them are “arms” as covered by the Second Amendment. Part of this argument is...