I blogged about the angry bison in Yellowstone last week and this morning, very early this morning, an angry bear rampaged through a remote campsite near the northeast corner of Yellowstone. A Michigan man was killed and two others wounded. Unlike the bison attack, which was from people simply provoking an attack, the grizzly had a mission. How do they know this? They caught the bear returning to the site of the kill.
From recent reports it appears as if the attack wasn't random and in fact the sow grizzly was actually targeting the campground in predatory fashion. The sow also had three cubs and after DNA evidence is confirmed the sow will be killed with the fate of the cubs uncertain.
Initial research indicates the campers followed food storage rules and nothing was apparent except the fact the bear was attacking to feed. I could get up on my pedestal and rant and rave about how we need to be hunting grizzlies and putting the fear of God and guns into them..., but I won't.
You take a risk every time you hit the woods whether it is to hunt whitetails or brown bears. You could fall from a treestand or get caught in a wild lightning storm. Grizzlies in the West are just another hazard in the game of life. You face similar hazards and dangers every time you climb into your car, take a plane trip or even walk down a city street.
The attack was tragic and my heart goes out to the victims and their families, but it's just one of the dangers we face on the road of life.
That said, I'd love to hunt a big grizzly bear in my home state. I can't wait for the opportunity to do a little culling.
The horse trailer doubles as a great camper and it's bearproof...right Mark?