Angler Endures Surprise Black Bear Attack Along a Montana River

It sounds like a beautiful, inviting place to fish when one wants to get away from crowds.

But like so many places, remote or otherwise, there is an ever-present danger of bears in Montana. And we're always grateful to be able to report that the injuries were not too severe.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks tells that an angler was injured by a black bear this past week while fishing the Stillwater River. He was working the river near the unincorporated community of Beehive, Montana, not far from Absarokee, on Wednesday, August 21. And at over 4,600 feet, he was up in higher terrain.     

The adult male was fishing alone along the bank when he encountered the bear. They likely both took one another by surprise during a close encounter. The bear's reactions are believed to be defensive - just a warning, perhaps? It swatted the man’s face, then immediately left the area.

The angler sustained non–life-threatening injuries and did not request medical attention. Due to the nature of the attack, there are fortunately no efforts being made to capture the bear at this time. The speculation is that being in bear country with abundant natural foods like fruits and berries, plus the possibility of hearing being limited due to moving river water all could have contributed to the incident.

Montana's black bears and grizzlies can be especially active this time of year as they prepare for winter hibernation. People should be prepared to encounter either species.

As Montana FWP likes to say, "Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with conflicts." 

More FWP bear safety tips can be found here.