Men hound-hunting black bear near Island Park run into a Grizzly with cubs

Bear bites back

Grizzly feeding on elk. © Ken Cole

News Release – 6/28/09
Idaho Department of Fish and Game 

Three eastern Idaho bear hunters got an unpleasant surprise Sunday morning, June 28, when their hounds surrounded a female grizzly with cubs.

The bear took after the hunters, knocked one man down, bit him on the right arm and tossed him around.

The names of the three men haven’t been released.  All are from the Idaho Falls area and two are brothers.  The victim was transported to Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg. He suffered lacerations to his right arm but no other apparent injuries.

Idaho Fish and Game officials are in the area looking for the bear. But they warn area residents, other hunters and anyone in the backcountry that the bear may be wounded and dangerous.

The three men were hunting black bears with hounds about 6 a.m. Sunday, on Bishop Mountain near Harriman State Park.

They released their hounds on a scent, and the dogs soon surrounded what the men thought was a black bear. When the men arrived they quickly realized they had a grizzly.

Losing Sagebrush

The Button Valley Bugle writes a nice piece about the sage-steppe ecosystem.  It also includes a remarkable photo of Prairie Wind Farm which illustrates the conundrum concerning new energy but continued habitat degradation/fragmentation.  Check it out :

Sagebrush Rebellion – The Button Valley Bugle

We have lost over half of our sagebrush ecosystems and yet, we continue to find new ways to threaten sagebrush habitats. Coal, gas and oil development across the western states threatens, fragments and endangers the “sagebrush sea” and now we plan large wind farms and solar developments that will present even more problems for these same habitats.