A man shot and killed a grizzly bear in Montana after the animal charged at him at close range, wildlife officials said Tuesday.
The man was shed hunting — or searching for antlers naturally shed by deer, elk and other animals at this time of year — when he first saw the bear on a brushy hillside in north-Central Montana on Friday, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a news release.
Montana FWP said the animal was an adult female in good condition with “no history of conflict.” The bear was about 13 years old and weighed around 250 pounds, the agency said. The bear had a yearling cub with her, the agency said.
As the man was leaving the area, the adult bear charged at him at close range, the agency said. He shot and killed the animal, and was uninjured, officials said. The agency said no action will be taken regarding the yearling cub. Yearlings are young bears that are over a year old, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Last July, officials said a 72-year-old man shot and killed a female grizzly bear in Montana after it charged and attacked him while he was picking berried.
Grizzly bear populations are becoming more dense and widespread in the state, Montana FWP said. The bear species is protected under the Endangered Species Act in most of the United States, but grizzly bears have reached recovery levels in some ecoystems, including the Northern Continental Divide and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems.
The larger number of bears increases the chances of human-grizzly interactions. It’s better to avoid conflicts with the bears, the agency said, and people can take steps like traveling in groups, following food storage recommendations, and never feeding wildlife to avoid bear interactions. People who are more likely to encounter bears should carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately, Montana FWP said. If you do see a bear, never approach it and leave the area when it is safe to do so, the agency said
