By Dean Weingarten | Contributing Writer
Author’s Note: 2026 has seen a large number of bear attacks in North America, as covered by the media. In Part I, the incidents were detailed from April 13 to August 15th, 2026. In Part II will deal with the incidents reported by various media from August 16 until October 6.
This has been a rough year in bear country, as the number of nasty encounters between humans and bruins has been alarming.
As of Aug. 15, there had been four fatal bear attacks in North America. From Aug. 15 to Oct. 6, there has been one additional fatality. The record for fatal attacks in North America, for any one year, is six. So far this year, there have been five fatal attacks in North America, so we’re nudging the all-time high.
In Part I, as I reported, there were 30 bear attacks up through Aug. 15. In this installment, we’ll detail another 30 bear attacks. A few of the earlier incidents did not identify the type of bear involved.
As summer rolled into early autumn, Brown bears were specified in seven incidents, while 19 incidents were specified as black bears or happened in places where only black bears live. In four incidents the species of bear was not determined.
Here are the 30 incidents which were recorded from mid-August until earlier this month:
17 August, 2026 – Anmore Home, part of the Vancouver, Canada, Metro area – A woman was attacked in her backyard by a black bear. The following day it looked like bears were on the offensive all over the map.
18 August, 2026 – Eagle-Vail, Colorado – A sow black bear swiped a man’s arm at an apartment complex. Cubs were nearby.
18 August, 2026 – Red Lodge Montana – An adult black bear attempted to attack a person walking near Roosevelt Middle School in Red Lodge. A good Samaritan intervened with a vehicle and prevented the attack. The incident was predatory in nature.
18 August, 2026 – Bells Flats, Kodiak, AK – A Woman walking her dog was attacked by a brown bear and she was bitten several times on the legs. The dog distracted the bear, and the woman crawled away and played dead. She was able to call for help and walked to the nearest residence. She was transported to the hospital for treatment.
18 August, 2026 – Ashville, North Carolina – A woman was injured as she chased a bear out of her home. Bears have been frequently seen in the area.
19 August, 2026 – Aspen, Colorado – A homeless man was bit on the head by a black bear.
20 August, 2026 – Window Rock, Navajo Nation, New Mexico – A black bear killed Benjamin Halona, 67, in his home. It appears to have been a predatory attack. Officers shot the bear, tracked it and killed it.
21 August, 2026 – Jefferson County, Colorado – A man was bitten on the legs by a small bear at about 8 pm. The man was in his 60’s and had finished fishing, but was not carrying any fish. Friends scared off the subadult female black bear. The bear was tracked down and killed.
22 August, 2026, – Red River New Mexico – A man was camping and was bitten by a black bear.
24 August, 2026 – Eagle County Colorado – A deputy sheriff attempted to haze a Cinnamon color phase black bear from a residential area. The bear charged him. He drew and fired his service handgun, dropping the bear at close range. The incident was recorded on his body camera. This may have been the same sow from the August 18 incident, it was very close to the same place.
August 24, 2026 – Richard Juryn Trail network, Vancouver Canada metro area – A man was walking alone when a black bear clawed his leg. The trail was closed.
27 August, 2026 – Colville River in Alaska – Jadon Nicoara and his Cousin Daniel Nicoara were attacked by a grizzly bear. Both were injured, each fired their handgun to drive the bear off of the other.
28 August, 2026 – Estes Park, Colorado – A black bear entered the home of an elderly woman through an unlocked window. It knocked her down in her kitchen.
29 August, 2026 – Haines Alaska – Toni Smith was mauled by a brown bear while walking her dog on FAA road. She had serious injuries and was flown to Juneau for surgery.
31 August, 2026 – Columbia Falls, Montana – A bear attacked while walking her dog when attacked by a bear and severely injured.
September Was Busy
1 September, 2026 – Sicamous, Queest Mountain Forest Service Road in B.C., Canada – A grizzly bear injured a man who was hiking with his dog.
3 September, 2026 – Steamboat Springs, Colorado – A black bear approached a person sleeping in a backyard patio chair. The person did not move until the bear approached and scratched them. A neighbor deployed bear spray, the bear left and did not return.
4 September, 2026 – Conflict Lake, near Whistler, B.C. – A woman who was one of three hikers, was injured and taken to a hospital. The species of bear was not mentioned.
5 September, 2026 – Mendenhal Valley, Juneau, Alaska, Saula Tuiqalau shot a black bear which charged him at his house. Six rounds were fired. The bear was not found. This is a separate incident, which may also involve a handgun.
Early September (Date uncertain) – 2026 Mendenhall Valley, Alaska Resident, defended themselves with a small caliber handgun. The bear was not recovered.
9 September, 2026 – Killey River near Soldatna, Alaska – Gavin Haakenson and his partner were scouting for Moose when he was attacked by a brown bear. His Hunting partner, Ethan Yeager, fired a pistol, driving off the bear.
11 September, 2026 – Park Creek Campground, near South Fork, Colorado. A woman was bitten on the arm through a tent by a black bear.
13 September, 2026 – Durango, Colorado – A black bear entered a home through a bedroom window and scratched the stomach of a 17-year-old woman. The bear found the window open a crack, but opened it fully and ripped off the screen before entering. The next day, a bear entered a nearby residence.
14 September, 2026 – Elk Creek near Augusta, Montana – A 20-Year-old bowhunter encountered a bear, species unknown, which “smacked him around”. He was taken to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, Montana. He will need surgery.
19 September, 2026 – Trinity County, California – A black bear attacked Jeff and Mallory Wilson in their backyard. Their dog was seriously injured, and died. Both Jeff and Mallory were seriously injured and spent time in the hospital.
Late September (Date uncertain) – Castlegar, B.C. – A man sitting outside his home was attacked by a black bear one evening. The bear was later captured and killed.
October Arrives
1 October, 2026 – Palmer Hay Flats, Alaska – a brown bear mauled 9-year-old boy and seriously injured him. The boy was hunting with a relative. The adult man also suffered minor injuries. The adult was able to kill the bear and stop the attack.
1 October, 2026 – Trego, Montana A homeowner investigating noises outside his home shot and killed a grizzly bear at close range.
2 October, 2026 – Salmon, Idaho – a young black bear injured two people on their porch in Sunset Heights about 3:30 am. The bear, a sibling and the sow were tracked and killed.
5 October, 2026 – Duluth, Minnesota – A black bear injured a man and one of his dogs in their yard about 4:30 am, when the dogs were allowed outside. The bear then retreated up a tree.
2026 has been a busy year for bear attacks in North America.
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7. Park Creek Campground in Colorado. Forest Service public domain.
