Hunters Shoot Bears in Self-Defense in Montana, Alaska

As winter begins to set in, bears can become desperate if they haven’t found enough to eat making them especially dangerous. In three separate incidents in Montana and Alaska recently, three grizzly bears have been shot in self-defense. 

In Alaska, 14-year-old Kavin Roberts got a lesson from an Alaska State Trooper in skinning a Kodiak Brown Bear he killed while on a deer hunt with his uncle in late October. The bear reportedly followed the teenager and his uncle a short distance before charging the pair.

Roberts shot the bear at about 15 yards, according to an Alaska State Trooper Facebook post. In Alaska, any wildlife kill made under the state’s Defense of Life or Property law must be reported to the Department of Fish and Game and surrendered to the state. Too bad for Roberts even though he did get a good lesson out of the ordeal.  

In Montana, hunters shot two bears in separate incidents, both apparently in self-defense. In one case an elk hunter came across a female grizzly bear feeding on a carcass when it charged them.

After first firing a cloud of pepper spray at the beast, the hunter was force to shoot the bear when it continued approaching, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Game.

In the second incident another group of elk hunters came across a female grizzly with cubs. This group also tried using bear spray to no effect and were left with shooting the bear as the only means to prevent an attack.