Key Takeaways
- A father defended himself and his son from a charging grizzly bear while hunting in Idaho on May 16.
- The father initially used his sidearm, then switched to his hunting rifle, killing the bear at close range.
- Idaho Fish and Game determined the father acted in self-defense, deeming it a justified response to the imminent threat.
- Grizzlies are protected by law, emphasizing the importance of a thorough investigation in such incidents.
- The article advises carrying bear spray and firearms, as both provide vital layers of protection in bear country.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
ASHTON, ID — A father and his young son were sitting at the edge of a meadow on the evening of May 16, hunting black bears, when a grizzly stepped out and changed everything.
The bear started across the meadow and picked up their scent. According to Idaho Fish and Game, it turned and headed straight for the two of them. The hunters tried to alert the grizzly to their presence, hoping it would break off. Instead it charged.
The father fired at the charging bear with his sidearm, then switched to his hunting rifle and killed it within 5 yards of where he was standing. Five yards. That is how little room he had left.
He called the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office as soon as he could and reported what happened. Idaho Fish and Game responded and investigated. After a thorough review, the agency determined the man acted in defense of life, since he and his son were being charged from close range. The incident happened on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest near Cave Falls Road, outside Ashton.
A few years ago, I went out to Colorado with a few buddies to bow hunt for elk. I carried my Glock 20 the whole time, and I caught some grief for it. One of them staying it was took heavy to carry around the whole time. We were in bear country, we were carrying bows, and there was no version of that trip where I was going to be out there without a sidearm.
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Sure enough, I was up in a tree stand and a bear came into view. It started working its way toward me, and my stomach dropped the way yours would. Then it turned off and I never saw it again. Nothing happened. But I will tell you, in that moment, knowing the 10mm was right there on my hip changed how I felt entirely.
Fish and Game points out that grizzlies are protected under both state and federal law, which is exactly why the investigation mattered here and why the defense-of-life finding is the right call. The agency notes grizzlies turn up across the Greater Yellowstone area and parts of northern Idaho, and occasionally as far south as the Grangeville area and into the Salmon Region.
If you are heading into grizzly country, the agency’s reminders are worth following. Carry bear spray and keep it accessible. Hunt with partners and tell each other your plans. Watch for fresh sign and speak up if you see it. Get meat out fast, and hang meat, food, and garbage well away from camp and off the ground. Make noise in thick cover and near creeks, because most attacks come from surprising a bear up close.
Bear spray belongs on that list. But spray and a firearm are not an either-or. They are layers. This father had a layer left when the distance ran out, and because of it, he and his boy went home.
