Wyoming Game and Fish still searching for the grizzly bear that mauled 70 year old Erwin Frank Evert to death:

Just hours after a grizzly was tranquilized, collared and left to wake up it mauled to death a 7o year old cabin owner in the Kitty Creek area of Wyoming. (Just 7 miles from the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park) 

Botanist Erwin Frank Evert of  Park Ridge, Ill, vacationed in his Kitty Creek cabin for nearly 40 years. One afternoon he went out for an afternoon hike and never returned. His wife reported him missing. Erwin was found shortly after at the bear capture site.

The grizzly responsible was left just hours earlier after being captured by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST)that was in the area researching grizzly bears.  The area is only 4 miles away from the  Wyoming Boy Scout Camp. At the time the researchers tranquilized the grizzly there where 150 boy scouts in the area.

Officials are not certain that this was the same bear that attacked and killed the 70 year old hiker. But it is no doubt a no brainer as Evert was found 20 yards from the capture site. The probability is that Erwin Frank Evert came upon the bear as the bear was waking up or shortly after. No doubt the bear was disoriented and in a bad mood.

The mauling occurred approximately 7 miles from the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park on Thursday. After wardens of the Wyoming Game and Fish, members of Park County Search and Rescue and Scott Steward, a Park County Sheriff,  recovered Erwin’s body they closed the area to protect the public from further attacks.

The U.S. Forest Service furthered issued a closure order for the Kitty Creek area and part of the Shoshone National Forest until the bear is found. Federal wildlife and law enforcement agents are searching for the bear using the electronic tracking equipment put on the grizzly Thursday.

Just another reminder, when hiking the back country, you are not in the zoo! These are free roaming wild animals living in their natural habitat. Bear attacks are rare but they do happen! When in bear country please be prepared. Carry bear spray, do not hike alone and do your hiking in the day time, the evening is hunting time for grizzlies.

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Update

The bear was tracked via the radio collar and shot.  

We would like to express our thoughts and prayers are with Erwin’s wife, family and friends at this tragic time. Erwin, a Botanist,  had just published a massive reference book, “Vascular Plants of the Greater Yellowstone Area” which was his life’s work and his passion.

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Bear attacks in Yellowstone are rare. But they do happen.

One very lucky camper was attacked in Soda Butte Campground in 2008 on an early July morning while asleep in his tent. Not that he was lucky to have been attacked, he was lucky that he suffered only bite and claw marks while protecting himself. 
 
 
After the attack, the U.S. Forest Service evacuated and closed the campground as well as a nearby Chief Joseph campground – a few miles from the northeast entrance to the park.

 Bear attack in Cooke City Montana July 2008

Another bear attack was in 2007 when a Montana wildlife photographer was hiking in the back country, something he did often. He was attacked by a female grizzly with a cub nearby. Female Grizzles will attack suddenly and without warning when they think their cubs may be in danger.

You are in prime grizzly country when in Yellowstone and although bear attacks are rare, they do happen. Grizzles naturally avoid people, but don’t think that will be to your advantage if you encounter a grizzly bear.

How to Survive a Grizzly (or Black) Bear Attack:

4 major causes of bear attacks:

* Going it alone. There have been no reported attacks of people in groups of 3 or more.

*Hiking or camping to close to a bears food – if you smell rotting carcass, back up, turn around and travel the other way. Bears are very protective of their food.

* Hiking or walking between a mama bear and her cubs.

* Surprising a bear.

Other bear facts from American Hunter Magazine (May 2007):

* 65 percent of people attacked were hiking

* 16 percent of people attacked were working

* 65 percent of the bears that attacked were alone

 * 33 percent of the bears attacked when they were startled
 
If you plan to hike, fish, backpack or camp in Yellowstone  (or anywhere that is considered Grizzly country),  take these precautions to avoid any encounters with a bear.

A bear is likely to advoid running into you if he knows that you are there.

*Make plenty of noise

*Travel in groups

*Carry bear spray

*Use a lens when taking photos

*Hike or walk in the day. Night is hunting time.

If you do encounter a bear:

* Don’t run! You will look like easy prey to the bear.

* Back away slowly.

* Talk softly don’t shout.

* Don’t drop or throw anything at the bear.

* Avoid making direct eye contact as bears will see this as a challenge.

* If you are charged freeze and: 

A) Use bear mace – if you don’t have bear mace go to B

B) Drop to the ground and lie on your stomach with hands clasped  tightly around your neck. You may have heard that dropping to the ground and rolling into a tight ball, legs to chest, hands behind neck, is the posture to take…. this is wrong! One swipe of a bears massive paw will take that arm protecting your head right off!

Watch this video:

Using Bear Spray

The best defense against a bear attack, especially when camping, backpacking, fishing or hiking alone is mace bear pepper spray. You can purchase bear spray in  any of the general stores in Yellowstone.  Always carry the bear spray on your person within easy reach and not in your backpack when in the back country.
 

FRONTIERSMAN Bear Attack Deterrent with Hip Holster

The best bear pepper spray that  has the strongest EPA approved animal repellent rating (2.0% Capsaicinoids) with an extreme blast range of 35-feet is Mace Bear Pepper Spray! Human pepper spray is not the same as bear pepper spray. Only EPA approved bear sprays may be sold as deterrents against bears and have specific minimum requirements that must be met.