Skip to main content

Montana Hunter Kills Grizzly in Self Defense For Survival

Last week a Montana black bear hunter was forced to defend himself against a charging grizzly bear.

Montana Hunter Kills Grizzly in Self Defense For Survival

Photo by Dale Evans

On June 5, a Montana hunter reported being charged by a grizzly while black bear hunting in the backcountry near Ennis, Montana. The hunter shot and killed the bear with a pistol and sustained no injuries from the charge.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials released the following information:

“A hunter killed a grizzly bear in self-defense last week in the Madison Range southeast of Ennis. The person was hunting black bears in a remote parcel of private land in the backcountry on June 5 when he was charged by a grizzly bear. The hunter shot and killed the bear with a pistol and was not injured.

The hunter notified Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks the same day. Officials from FWP, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest conducted a field investigation with help from the landowner and confirmed the bear mortality. The investigation is ongoing.

The bear’s behavior appeared to be defensive in the surprise, close encounter with the hunter. The 15-year-old female grizzly had previously been captured for research purposes in 2013 and had no known history of conflict with people. No cubs were seen with the bear. The bear died outside the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear recovery zone, and inside the demographic monitoring area.”

Though Montana is bear country, grizzly bear populations have continued to become more widespread and denser in recent years. The likelihood Montana residents and visitors, as well as those recreating in areas anywhere west of Billings, will encounter grizzly bears is increasing. More and more grizzly-human encounters – some fatal to either the bear or the human – are happening each year.

Despite calls for smart, local management – including hunting, grizzly bears in the Lower 48 are still listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and management of the bears continues through a collaboration of state and federal agencies via the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information and resources regarding bear safety; fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Ireland's Whistling Stags

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Silencer Central's New Modular Titanium Suppressor

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Endless Bugles

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Weatherby's New Model 307 Alpine CT

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Aero Precision's New Solus Lightweight Hunter

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

How to Sight-In a Thermal Optic

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

What Is the Difference Between Night Vision and Thermal Optics?

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Selecting the Correct Magnification for Night Hunting

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

How to Choose a Thermal Optic

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Kalahari Quest

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Part 3: Bears of the North – Grand Finale

Petersen's Hunting Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save.

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Petersen's Hunting App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use