Grizzly attack in Ovando
- Thread starter BucksnDucks
- Start date
RobG
Well-known member
Thanks Randy. It was the 2001 incident I was referring to. I think it was in Ben’s book (I’m too lazy to check).
Mtnhunter1
Well-known member
Ain't that the truth....and is getting worse with each passing year. Way past time to hunt them.
2001 sounds right. Or maybe 2002. I killed my second deer, and first buck in the same area a few weeks later.
My aunt had just killed a cow and I couldn’t get my shit together in time to kill this real nice buck so the forkie it was.
Bigjay73
Well-known member
I'm all for sensibly hunting grizzlies, but 3 deaths in 60 years doesn't seem like much to get worked up about.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
Very very sad. Could happen to any one of us.
I caught this griz on a trail camera only 21 miles from the site of this attack a month and a half ago.
The Bob/Scapegoat is as grizzly as it gets. And come spring summer it seems they follow the water down to the valleys to the south.
I caught this griz on a trail camera only 21 miles from the site of this attack a month and a half ago.
The Bob/Scapegoat is as grizzly as it gets. And come spring summer it seems they follow the water down to the valleys to the south.
Thats only one area and trust me you will think differently when your kids school has a bear fence around its playground!
Ben Long
Well-known member
Omar Hilston was killed over his elk carcass near Ovando in 2001. (Which I wrote about for Bugle and reprinted in Great Montana Bear Stories.) That was a scuffle over an elk carcass. This one seems different, from press reports I've read so far. It seems like in the 2021 case, the bear was food conditioned and keyed into the campground close to the village of Ovando. Tragic and terrifying. Blackfoot cattle ranchers have been leaders in adapting their operations to avoid bear conflicts. Unfortunately trash, chicken coops offer more and more trouble spots. I support a well-managed hunt but I'm not sure how a hunting season would have prevented this particular problem. I need to learn more before shooting off my mouth.
Bigjay73
Well-known member
Maybe, but when you consider the millions of people who camp, hike, mountain bike, hunt, fish etc in grizzly country, there really isn't anything statistically to be alarmed about. If I were that worried about bears attacking my kids at school, I'd probably take them to a different school
Our neighbor caught on camera a silverback attempting to thump on a tree to shake or break free a bird feeder two(?) years back. They relocated or replaced the feeder to the tree because the prior year, likely the same griz bent over a concrete based simple galvanized post that had the hanger for a birdfeeder out of bear reach. Lesson learned. The tree held fine. The post taught the bear how to collect a good fill of seed.
Glad Yogi didn't have Boo-Boo to teach him how to operate the corded pulley for the feeder...
Glad Yogi didn't have Boo-Boo to teach him how to operate the corded pulley for the feeder...
EKYHunter
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Sad to see this.
Jcs271
Well-known member
Update 07-07-21
FWP keeps traps in Ovando area, more details released
OVANDO – After two days of searching by helicopter and on the ground, the grizzly bear that killed a woman Tuesday morning has not been found. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear specialists and wardens are continuing to monitor culvert traps set in the area.The search even included the use of infrared technology from Two Bear Air Rescue out of Kalispell, but efforts to find the bear are now focusing on traps near Ovando.
Details surrounding the circumstances of the attack indicate the bear entered town Monday morning and came to an area near the post office at about 3 a.m., where the victim was sleeping in a tent. Another couple in her party were sleeping in a tent nearby.
The bear initially woke the campers but then ran away. The three campers removed food from their tents, secured it, and went back to bed.
The bear was captured by a video camera at a business less than a block away at about 3:15 a.m.
At about 3:30 a.m. the two people in the tent adjacent to the victim were awakened by sounds of the attack. They exited the tent and sprayed the bear with bear spray. It has not been seen since.
The bear pulled the victim from the tent during the fatal attack.
At some point during the night the bear also got into a chicken coop in town, killing and eating several chickens.
While the initial search for the bear was unsuccessful, FWP wardens and bear specialists will continue to monitor the area closely.
“At this point, our best chance for catching this bear will be culvert traps set in the area near the chicken coop where the bear killed and ate several chickens,” said Randy Arnold, FWP regional supervisor in Missoula.
FWP bear experts believe the bear was an approximately 400-pound male, judging by behavior and footprints. DNA from the bear was collected at the scene of the attack and will be analyzed. Should a bear be caught in a trap, DNA can quickly be compared to the DNA already collected to determine if it is the same animal.
Anyone who spots a grizzly bear near Ovando should call the FWP Missoula office at 542-5500.
Easy to say when you live where there aren't any Grizzlies. Bet that womans family doesn't give a shit about statistics. mtmuley
Schaaf
Well-known member
hell hath no fury like MTFWP when they need to find *any* living griz ASAP
Edited to add: below photo, find out if it’s the same bear in a few days.
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RobG
Well-known member
Shoot first, ask questions later?
Schaaf
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I think the desire to have DNA confirmation prior to dispatching went out the window after 24 hours of no head on a stake.
OntarioHunter
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Anyone living in grizzly country who puts out f*&ing bird feeders should be tarred and feathered ... by his neighbours! Just as well dump their trash on the front lawn. Super stupid.
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