Grizzly kill under investigation

Federal authorities are investigating the killing of a grizzly bear by a hunter in the Madison Valley last month. State officials with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed Friday that a grizzly bear was shot and killed Oct. 23 in the Madison Valley. The killing came on the same day as the opening of the rifle season for deer and elk and involved a hunter, said Mel Frost, FWP spokeswoman. She said the bear was on the east side of the valley in the Madison Range. The name of the hunter was not released. Grizzly bears in the northern Rockies are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. Investigations of bear killings are handled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Terry Thibeault, FWP agent in charge for Wyoming and Montana, confirmed Friday that his agency is looking into the bear's shooting but added he couldn't comment further...more