Mauling of hunter leads to Forest Service trail closure

The U.S. Forest Service closed a two-mile section of trail Monday in Lewis and Clark National Forest where a sow grizzly bear was shot and killed after it attacked an elk hunter on Saturday, the opening day of big-game rifle season. The grizzly chased Anthony Willits, 31, and Greg Louden, 29, both of Kalispell, off an elk carcass, and it was shot when it charged the men, about 10 miles southwest of East Glacier Park in the South Fork Two Medicine River drainage, a mile below Elk Calf Mountain, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Remains of the elk and dead grizzly remain in the area, which could keep the 1- or 2-year-old cubs around and attract other bears, said Wendy Maples, acting district ranger of the Rocky Mountain Ranger District. The bull elk was shot at 11:30 a.m., and Willits and Louden packed a portion of the meat out to the trailhead, four or five miles away. They returned to the carcass and were cutting off more meat when the grizzly sow chased them away from the carcass. The sow took over the carcass, then charged the men and was shot about 5:15 p.m., said Travis Haworth, a FWP game warden. The hunters told authorities that they had been working on the elk for 10 minutes when a female grizzly began making noises and bluff charging. The bear moved closer as the men retreated and took ownership of the carcass, putting her front legs on top of it, Haworth said. When the grizzly charged, Willits fired a shot from his rifle just before the bear reached the men, Haworth said. It's not clear if that shot struck the animal. The bear grabbed Willits by the lower left leg...more

One little ol' "bluff charge" from a grizzly and this child would be makin' fast and frequent tracks outta there.  That would be like a "bluff charge" from Sweet Sharon - it only happens once and it ain't no bluff.  Them little bells don't work either - hell a big ol' cow bell don't work - haven't tried pepper spray and I ain't about to.  Don't ask me why.