A grizzly bear attacked a hunter south of Cochrane, Alberta, on Thursday, as reported by Alberta Fish and Wildlife. The survivor’s hunting partner shot the bear, which is now believed to be dead, while another bear, of unknown age, fled the scene after the incident. The injured man, in his 30s, was airlifted from the Springbank area by STARS air ambulance, located west of Calgary. Although the air ambulance did not disclose his condition, Alberta Fish and Wildlife confirmed that he survived.

EMS later updated that the man’s condition had stabilized from serious to non-life-threatening since he was initially taken to the hospital. Bear Safety and More founder Kim Titchener highlighted the frequency of grizzly bear attacks on hunters during hunting seasons, emphasizing the need for behavioral changes to ensure safety outdoors. She mentioned a recent incident in which an elk hunter in B.C.’s East Kootenay region succumbed to injuries sustained from a grizzly bear attack.

Titchener explained that hunters moving quietly through the wilderness could unknowingly attract bears due to sounds resembling prey species. With bears still actively foraging before hibernation, Titchener advised caution in bear country, as they are still seeking food to prepare for winter. The proximity of the mauling to Calgary is not unusual, according to Titchener, who cited past fatal bear attacks in Mountain View County. Alberta Fish and Wildlife did not provide details about the second bear that fled, but Titchener suggested it could have been a mother-cub pair.

Fish and Wildlife officers will collect DNA samples from the survivor to verify the bear shot during the encounter as the attacking bear, as stated by provincial spokesperson Sheena Campbell.