Backpackers’ killing of grizzly bear under investigation

Montana wildlife officials are investigating the fatal shooting of an adult female grizzly bear by two backpackers who said they were acting in self-defense.

The surprise encounter occurred Aug. 2 on a bush-lined trail in the Cabinet Mountains in northwest Montana.

According to a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks news release, the backpackers reported the incident after they hiked out of the backcountry on Aug. 4.

The Daily Inter Lake reported Thursday that the backpackers were not carrying bear spray and both shot at the animal, according FWP.

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“Each backpacker had a gun and each fired at the bear, based on the preliminary investigation,” said Dillon Tabish, FWP spokesman.

The incident occurred within the 2,600-square-mile Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, where a recovery effort is attempting to bolster a struggling grizzly bear population of 50 to 60 animals.

The loss of an adult female, therefore, represents a significant setback.

Said Tabish: “All grizzly bears are important to the recovery of the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, but, yes, females drive population growth more than males.”

The FWP stated in the news release that being “bear aware” includes carrying bear spray, an effective non-lethal deterrent against aggressive bears.

–Generic grizzly bear images via Wikimedia Commons (top) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service