ELKFORD — A hunter in southeastern British Columbia managed to shoot a grizzly bear that attacked him on Thursday and left him with broken bones and cuts.
RCMP in Elk Valley, near Fernie, say the 36-year-old man from nearby Sparwood was out with his father when he was attacked by an adult grizzly.
A statement from the Mounties says the man was able to defend himself using his gun, and the bear ran off while the hunter's father called for help.
A separate statement from B.C.'s Conservation Officer Service says the man was extracted using a helicopter with a long line, then airlifted to hospital in Calgary.
The service says first responders didn't know the bear's status or location when they got the call, and the animal was later found dead after an hours-long search.
RCMP say the man was in stable condition as he was leaving for the hospital.
They say the two men were tracking a bear using dogs when the attack occurred at around 3 p.m. on a mountainside near an industrial park west of Highway 43.
The attack prompted a response from multiple emergency services, including the Elkford Fire Department, the B.C. ambulance service, and conservation officers.
Police say the local search and rescue team co-ordinated the helicopter extraction, made possible after the injured man was moved 200 metres down the mountain.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May. 17, 2024.
The Canadian Press
