IFG works on bear identification

Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Greg Johnson said that Friday’s fatal grizzly attack started with misidentification of a target.

The attack took place on Buckhorn Mountain near the Idaho/Montana border after the hunters shot the bear thinking it was a black bear. The bear turned out to be a 400-pound adult male grizzly, according to Johnson.

Hunter Steve Stevenson, 39, of Winnemucca, Nev., was killed by the grizzly. His hunting companion 20-year-old Ty Bell shot with a 30-06 and killed the bear during the attack.

Johnson said it isn’t an easy task to identify a bear that is moving in thick brush even though both the men were experienced hunters.

“The bear was a dark colored grizzly and the hunters tended to focus more on the color,” said Johnson.

The hunters shot at the grizzly and waited for about 30 minutes before they went to track the bear down.

“They didn’t get a good shot and only wounded the bear,” said Johnson. “The shooting took place on the Montana side and they followed the bear on the line into Idaho where the attack took place.”

Johnson said it is usual to wait 30 to 45 minutes after shooting the animal to give it time to die.

When the hunters went to try and finish the job the bear was too fast and the Stevenson didn’t have time to react.

Johnson said the bear was wounded pretty bad but had plenty of fight left in him.

Bell emptied his rifle into the grizzly then picked up Stevenson gun which Stevenson dropped during the attack and shot the bear again to make sure it was dead.

Johnson said since the initial shot took place in Montana it was determined that Montana Fish and Game and sheriff would take over the investigation.

Johnson said right now everyone is working together to find ways to make sure this can be prevented in the future and that it starts with bear identification.

Grizzlies have large bulky heads and flat faces. Their shoulders are massive and they have the distinctive hump.

Black bears have a more cone shaped head and pointed snout. The head is smaller in proportion to the body on a black bear and a more massive rear end and less shoulder mass and hump.

“It is hard to tell at times and if you aren’t 100 percent sure it is a black bear then don’t shoot,” said Johnson.

“I just feel really bad for the family and if there is any way we can prevent something like this from happening again we will do everything we can to prevent it.”

Johnson said it starts with identification and really taking the time to recognize the features of the bears.

To prevent mistaken identity, bear hunters are encouraged to learn to identify black bears and tell them from grizzly bears in the wild.

Johnson wants people to know that bear attacks in general are very rare. This particular case was a provoked attack. Many people pick huckleberries and hike and encounter both types of bears without any type of incident.

He said people just need to be alert and take more precautions while in bear country. People don’t need to be afraid to go into the woods.

“The odds of even seeing a bear are very slim let alone having an aggressive encounter,” Johnson said.