A grizzly attacks a man who is stalking another bear

A grizzly bear seriously injured a man in the East Kootenays Thursday afternoon.

A 36-year-old man and his father were using dogs to track a separate bear on a steep hillside south of Elkford when they were attacked by an adult grizzly bear. A 36-year-old man was seriously injured in the attack, including multiple broken bones and lacerations.

According to an RCMP press release, the man shot the grizzly with a firearm, causing the bear to flee. After that, around 15:00 in the evening, the victim's father called for help

Emergency crews including the Elkford Fire Department, BC Ambulance, RCMP, conservation officers and local SAR teams responded to the scene.

After moving the injured man about 200 meters down the steep slope, search and rescue crews were able to use the helicopter's longline to get him to Highway 43. The highway was temporarily closed for the ambulance to land on the road. , and the man was then transferred to a nearby helipad in Elkford.

From there, STARS Air Ambulance was waiting to transport him to Calgary Foothills Hospital. He was in stable condition when he left the scene.

Conservation officers were then sent to the mountainside to find the grizzly. After 21:00, law enforcement officers found the bear, which had died from its injuries, near the place of the attack.

“The Elk Valley Regional RCMP would like to thank the hard working individuals and volunteers who responded and worked together to get the victim off the mountain,” said Cpl. James Grundy in a press release.