Hunter attacked by grizzly

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Hunter attacked by grizzly

October 4, 2004

AP

DUBOIS, Wyo. (AP) -- A Gillette hunter was seriously injured in a grizzly bear attack -- the second such encounter in northwest Wyoming in less than two weeks, authorities said.

The man, whose name was not released, suffered facial injuries and punctures to his side, according to the Fremont County Sheriff's Office.

He was taken to a hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The man was part of a group of four hunters in a heavily timbered area near Fish Creek west of Dubois when they came upon the grizzly on Sunday, the sheriff's office said. It was also the second bear encounter involving a Gillette hunter in the past two weeks.

In the earlier incident, Wally Cash, 66, needed about 100 stitches and a titanium plate inserted in his head after encountering a grizzly while elk hunting about 30 miles north of Jackson on Sept. 21.

Cash reported seeing 12 bears in the two days before he was attacked.

 

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Indiana hunter kills grizzly bear that attacked friend in Wyoming

By The Associated Press

10/12/04

BRAZIL, Ind. (AP) -- An Indiana man who shot and killed a grizzly bear that had just mauled his friend during a hunting trip in Wyoming says he wept after the 600-pound animal crashed to the ground, mortally wounded.

Aaron Hughes, 31, said tears still come to his eyes when he thinks about the bear in its death throes, and his own close brush with death.

"I sit and cry when I think about it, but my mind will heal, given time," said Hughes, who is married and has two children.

Hughes told The Brazil Times that he was hunting elk with Tom Lang, also of Brazil, and four other hunters in the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming on Oct. 3, when the grizzly bear attacked.

The six men set up camp near Dubois, Wyo., and traveled by horseback 1 1/2 hours to a mountain ridge in the Bridger-Teton National Forest where they hoped to find elk.

After setting up a tree stand, three of the men waited while the other three, including Hughes and Weston Scott of Gillette, Wyo., circled out and around before moving toward the stand, hoping to drive elk toward their three companions.

Hughes and Scott were out of sight of one another when Hughes heard a gunshot followed by the sounds of an animal crashing toward him through the brush. He expected an elk, but was shocked to see a 600-pound grizzly bear break through the brush only about 12 steps from where he was standing.

Hughes said he didn't have time to think.

"Instincts took over," said Hughes, who fired once. When the bear continued its charge, he fired a second time and the dying animal fell a few feet from him.

After killing the bear, Hughes heard his friends yelling that Scott had been hurt. Hughes ran to where they were gathered in a clearing.

Scott, 32, had been mauled by the bear, which bit him in the face, tearing out four teeth on his lower jaw and a 1-inch portion of jawbone.

One of the hunters then used his cell phone to call authorities and Scott was airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where is recovering from his injuries.

As for Hughes, he now faces the scrutiny of the federal government for killing an endangered protected species. He was escorted to Jackson, Wyo., where Wyoming Game and Fish Department officers interviewed him.

The next day, Hughes, a federal agent and four Wyoming Game and Fish officers flew back to the park, where Hughes led them to bear's carcass.

Authorities removed the bear's head and paws for inspection, looking for disease.

After answering questions and giving a written statement, Hughes said the officials were pretty much convinced he was innocent of wrongdoing, but a federal prosecutor will review the case and decide whether or not to prosecute Hughes.

He should know the decision within two or three months.

"They're almost positive it was self defense," he said.