Grizzly bear killed after "surprise" attack on father and son in Montana

[Dial H For Hero]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/grizzly-bear-surprise-attack-father-son-montana/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

A grizzly bear seriously injured a father and son who were hunting in northern Montana in a "surprise" attack, wildlife officials said. The bear charged out of a thickly wooded area and attacked the two on a road Saturday near Smith Lake north of Whitefish Lake in the Flathead Valley, according to the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks state agency.

The hunters "sustained significant injuries" before they shot and killed the bear, the agency said in a statement. They were later flown to a hospital.

Investigators found a deer carcass nearby. They concluded the nearly 20-year-old female was defending the food and her cubs.

"Based on the evidence gathered at the scene and interviews with the victims, we believe this was a surprise encounter involving an adult female grizzly bear defending a food source and her offspring," FWP Regional Game Warden Captain Lee Anderson said.

(excerpt)

[renate]

1. I hope her cub is old enough to be okay

Poor mama bear and poor little cub or cubs.

Some pity for the hunters but not much. I don’t wish them actual harm, but if their interest was in tracking and “shooting” there’s always the option of shooting a picture. I don’t understand what is fun about killing an animal.

[Boogiemack]

3. Yeah, because I am sure they needed the bear meat to survive.

[eShirl]

6. They were probably hunting for something else, like deer.

[The Magistrate]

2. Inclined To Pull for The Bear, Sir

Bear was just standing its ground against aggressive interlopers....

[Raine]

4. My sympathy is all for the mama bear

just protecting her babies.

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Poor cubs.