A man hunting elk in southeast Idaho near Henry’s Lake State Park used a handgun to shoot and kill a charging female grizzly over the weekend, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and various published reports.
Henry’s Lake is located near the Idaho-Montana border several miles northeast from Idaho Falls.
According to the Idaho Statesman, the unidentified elk hunter suddenly encountered the bruin in thick timber during an evening hunt Sept. 30. The hunter yelled to warn his partner and the adult sow attacked.
The hunter was carrying a sidearm and fired at the bear several times, killing her. The newspaper noted this was the second incident in September when a hunter killed a grizzly in self-defense. The other incident occurred about Sept. 6.
By no small coincidence, Massad Ayoob, president of the Second Amendment Foundation and nationally-recognized expert on firearms and self-defense, referred to using guns against wild animals, during remarks at the recent Gun Rights Policy Conference in Phoenix. Such defensive gun uses are not widely reported, but they do qualify as genuine acts of self-defense.
Fox News reported the hunter immediately called the Citizens Against Poaching hotline to report the incident. Wildlife officials investigated and determined the hunter did act in self-defense. The shooting occurred at very close range, according to IDFG officials.
Grizzlies are federally protected in the Lower 48 states under the Endangered Species Act. The Idaho Statesman noted that Gem State officials have lobbied the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to delist grizzlies in their state.
In a news release discussing the incident, IDF&G cautioned people using the outdoors to carry bear spray, hunt with partners, watch for signs of grizzly bears, hang any game meat, food and garbage at least 200 yards from camp and at least 10 feet off the ground.
“Most attacks occur by inadvertently surprising a bear at close range,” the agency said.
