https://www.jhnewsandguide.com...4d-23991c46f90c.html



Missing outfitter Mark Uptain found deceased


By Mike Koshmrl Sep 15, 2018 Updated 6 hrs ago



UPDATE, 4:15 p.m. Saturday — A Jackson Hole businessman, hunting guide and father of five was found dead Saturday afternoon near where he was attacked while retrieving a client’s elk carcass Friday afternoon.

The body of Mark Uptain, a 37-year-old guide for Martin Outfitters, was discovered around 1:15 p.m. Saturday about a quarter-mile to the northwest of where he and client Corey Chubon were processing an elk that was struck by an arrow Thursday. The elk was located and attack occurred the next day. Pending an investigation, it’s unclear if Uptain had been fed upon, but Teton County Search and Rescue Coordinator and incident commander Jessica King said that his body was intact.

Wildlife managers, meanwhile, are setting out to catch the bear that took Uptain’s life.


“The guys on the ground did request supplies to catch bears,” said Brad Hovinga, regional wildlife supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Hovinga said that “all indications” are that the animal was a grizzly bear. The agency’s plan is to deploy foothold snares that will subdue animals caught alive, and to leave the devices in the field overnight.

Game and Fish staffers Brian Debolt, Brian Baker, Kyle Lash and Jon Stephens remained staked out in the field Saturday afternoon. The hunter-bear clash turned tragedy occurred in the Terrace Mountain area of the Teton Wilderness, about 6 straight-line miles from the Turpin Meadows trailhead.

“That country is so full of bears,” Hovinga said.

Chubon, a Florida resident, was injured and flown to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson on Friday, but was in good enough condition to have caught a flight out of the valley Saturday afternoon.

Chubon told investigators that he threw a pistol to Uptain before successfully fleeing and phoning authorities. Initial reports indicate that the second bear was present at the time of the attack, but did not engage either Chubon or Uptain.

The elk carcass was “undisturbed” when it was located by Uptain and Chubon, which suggests that the bear was not necessarily food guarding.

This aggressive behavior will be taken into account when making decisions about what to do if a bear is caught in the foot snares, and determined to be Uptain’s killer.

“That will certainly be considered in the course of action,” Hovinga said.

Hovinga was unsure if the implicated bear would be killed.

“Based on what we know at this point, we’re going to make an attempt to catch bears,” he said.

Uptain, originally from Casper, owns Blue Sky Services and Restoration, which has offices in Jackson and Star Valley. Speaking with the News&Guide in June about his business, he shared some details about his personal life.

“I enjoy spending time with Sarah and the kids,” Uptain said, “serving on the board of elders at First Baptist Church, riding horses, hunting and fishing, guiding hunting clients, biking, playing chess and staying fit.”

UPDATE, noon — A 20-person search continues in the patchy timber of the Teton Wilderness backcountry near Terrace Mountain, but through late morning searchers have had no breakthroughs in finding a missing Jackson Hole hunting guide.

Five 4-person teams are combing the area near where Martin Outfitters guide Mark Uptain was last seen Friday, when his bow-hunting client fled during a bear attack that involved multiple animals. That client, Florida resident Corey Chubon, was able to phone authorities, was flown out of the wilderness and, despite injuries, is in good enough condition that he was flying out of Jackson Hole this afternoon.

Uptain’s whereabouts, meanwhile, remain unknown.

“My understanding is that he saw Mark being attacked by a bear, and he also was being attacked by a bear,” Teton County Search and Rescue Coordinator and incident commander Jessica King said.

Chubon reportedly was able to toss a handgun to Uptain before he ran from the attack scene, but authorities have so far not been able to locate that firearm.

The guide and his client were in the process of retrieving an elk Friday that Chubon had struck with an arrow the day before when two bears “aggressively changed.” Authorities have not ascertained what species of bear was involved in the attack, but the behavior is more typical of grizzlies. The Teton Wilderness is occupied grizzly habitat, and conflicts with hunters happen regularly.

Uptain, 37, owns Blue Sky Services and Restoration, a Jackson Hole business that specializes in fire and water restoration. The Casper-raised entrepreneur, who has five children, spoke with the News&Guide in June.

“I enjoy spending time with Sarah and the kids, serving on the board of elders at First Baptist Church, riding horses, hunting and fishing, guiding hunting clients, biking, playing chess and staying fit,” he said at the time.

After a helicopter deposits the fifth rescue team, it will begin flying a grid pattern to assist in the search. Another team of searchers are setting in on horseback.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY, 8:45 a.m. — A search-and-rescue operation is underway to find an elk hunting guide who was attacked by a bear Friday in the Teton Wilderness.

The Terrace Mountain attack occurred Friday after Florida resident Corey Chubon was retrieving an elk while on a bow hunt with his guide, Mark Uptain of Martin Outfitters. Both men were injured, but the client managed to escape and alerted authorities. As of 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Uptain had not been located.

“Search and Rescue is currently in the field, and we’re making every effort to locate and bring Mr. Uptain out from the backcountry,” Teton County Undersheriff Matt Carr said in a statement.

The run-in occurred early Friday afternoon when the pair of hunters were retrieving an elk that had been struck Thursday. They were “aggressively charged by two large bears,” according to a release that did not identify if the animals were grizzly bears.

“Chubon was able to run to his pack gear a few yards away and retrieve a pistol but was unable to safely fire a shot at the bear that first struck Uptain,” the release said. “The attacking bear then spun, charged Chubon, grabbed his foot, and dragged him to the ground. He sustained injuries to his leg, chest, and arm, but was able to throw the gun to Uptain and get loose before running from the scene to phone for help. Initial reports indicate that the second bear did not engage either Chubon or Uptain.”

An interagency helicopter was dispatched to the scene to assist with transport of the injured hunters, but only Chubon was flown to St. John's Medical Center for treatment.

The Teton County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Grand Teton National Park, and Bridger-Teton National Forest are all assisting in the ongoing rescue.

Stay tuned to JHNewsAndGuide.com for more information on this ongoing story.

Contact Mike Koshmrl at 732-7067, env@jhnewsandguide.com or @JHNGenviro.

quote:

Chubon told investigators that he threw a pistol to Uptain before successfully fleeing and phoning authorities.

So if he had shot the bear instead of throwing the gun the guide might probably be still alive?

Deepest sympathy for his friends and family.

Lots of un answered questions with this story and I hope for the families sake they get closure from the information.
I can't imagine throwing a pistol to someone hoping it works out for them with a Bear attack in progress then walking out miles to call for help. Something isn't adding up.
The client was treated at hospital and released and on a plane home before they found the body.
I hope we hear more of the facts but with the media these days I'm skeptical of everything I read and most of what I see on the news.

Folks,

This is tragic but in all these types of cases where man and aggressive animals encounter one another if we weren't there it's impossible to know how it could have turned out differently. It's speculation at most. We'd all like to think we'd be brave and fight the bear but until we're in that situation how do we really know?

Mark

Lots of unanswered questions for sure.

No sense speculating because none of us were there.

For all we know, the bear(s) disengaged for a few moments and the guide said:

"Run and get help"

and the client said "here, you keep the pistol"

Obviously, I am not saying that did happen, what I am saying is there a dozen little details that could have made the clients behavior perfectly appropriate.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
We'd all like to think we'd be brave and fight the bear but until we're in that situation how do we really know?

Mark

Or as Mike Tyson once said,
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"

.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike_Dettorre:
No sense speculating because none of us were there.

For all we know, the bear(s) disengaged for a few moments and the guide said:

"Run and get help"

and the client said "here, you keep the pistol"

Obviously, I am not saying that did happen, what I am saying is there a dozen little details that could have made the clients behavior perfectly appropriate.

And this is exactly what I'm hoping for, I don't want to think the worst of human nature.

My condolences to the Uptain family.

I can't in my rightful mind think I'd climb on a plane headed for home before climbing up the mountain to take search and rescue to the scene. Never mind the thought of tossing a pistol to someone and hauling it to town. Hopefully, the entire story will come out in the coming days.

How sad. It sounds like the Guide didn't have a handgun?

So many questions.

The way that's written it don't sound like the
writer had much clue. Repeats the same thing
several times and not much makes sense in the whole
article.

In a bear attack everyone present needs to be shooting til it's dead or gone away.
My opinion at least.

George

Condolences to the mans family.

Here is a story from the hunter.

https://www.clickorlando.com/n...ankles-attacking-him

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Corey Chubon is resting at home in new Smyrna Beach after a bear attack that left him injured and took the life of his guide. Chubon encountered two bears Friday while on a hunting trip in Wyoming.

"I'm just blessed and extremely grateful to have made it out of this situation alive," Chubon said.

Chubon and the guide, who the Associated Press reports was 37-year-old Mark Uptain, went to the woods in Jackson, Wyoming, to retrieve an elk that they had killed the day before. Chubon's father, who was on the trip but did not go with the two to get the animal, said he was told the two men were pulling the elk's carcass out of the woods on horseback when two bears attacked.

Chubon was grabbed by the ankles and tossed off of his horse, his father said. Chubon was able to point a pistol at the bear, but the animal knocked it out of his hands. Uptain was grabbed by the same bear and dragged into the woods; The AP reports that his body was found Saturday.

"We heard rocks stumble and out of nowhere two grizzly bears just started charging at us," Chubon said.

Chubon said he threw his pistol to Uptain. The paper reports that officials have not been able to find the gun.

"He swung me around in the air and at that point in time I tried to throw the gun to Mark and the gun didn't make it there," Chubon said.

Once Chubon was able to escape the bear, he climbed back onto his horse and rode to the top of a nearby mountain in order to get cell service. According to his father, it took a helicopter two hours to reach Chubon before he was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Chubon said he and his guide were hunting elk in the wilderness in an area where there really isn't a trail.

"They thought there was some type of competition for their food and they were coming to claim their food," Chubon said.

Officials with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said they trapped and killed a grizzly sow and a yearling cub they believe were the same from the attack. The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that officials say the bears were likely a mother and grown cub and that the behavior was unusual for a bear family group.


After sustaining injuries to his arms, chest and ankles, Chubon was able to fly back to New Smyrna Beach on Saturday night to be with his family. His father said he may need surgery to repair his Achilles tendons.

Both Chubon and his father said they remember Uptain as one of the nicest people they had ever met.

The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that he was a small business owner with five children.
Chubon said he plans to continue hiking. He also told News 6 he’s relying on prayer and eventually some counseling to try and bounce back.

Click here if you would like to donate to a GoFundMe account set up for Uptain’s family.

TV interview with survivor.

https://www.wesh.com/article/t...-in-wyoming/23272494

Wyoming Game and Fish Department finalizing investigation after hunting guide killed by grizzly bears

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/News/Wyom...nt-finalizing-invest

Jackson - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is working to finalize its investigation into a recent grizzly bear attack that killed a local hunting guide and injured his client. Yesterday, Game and Fish killed the two grizzly bears believed to be involved in the attack.
​
“This is a tragic situation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’ families and friends,” said Brad Hovinga, Jackson regional wildlife supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

On Friday evening, Sept. 14, Game and Fish personnel were notified by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office that a guide and his client were attacked by two bears while the men were field dressing an elk shot by the client the day before in the Terrace Mountain area.

The Game and Fish immediately responded to the area to provide assistance to the Teton County Sheriff’s Office in their search for the victims. The hunting client was flown to a local area hospital by helicopter where he received treatment for his injuries and the search began for the guide who was missing at the time of the initial response. Using information provided by the hunter, Game and Fish began to investigate the attack simultaneous to searching for the missing victim. This is standard operating procedure when wildlife attack humans.

The interagency search for the missing guide was suspended Friday evening and resumed early Saturday morning. The guide’s body was found that day, his fatal-injuries consistent with a bear attack.

An investigation found a discharged can of bear spray with the safety off near the body. It was later determined that the sow (female bear) had been sprayed with bear spray.

Later Saturday afternoon, foot snares were set at the site in an attempt to capture the offending bears. The use of foot snares allow Game and Fish personnel to live capture a bear in order to evaluate the individual bear and determine if the bear was involved in the attack prior to any management action.

On Sunday, a team of five Game and Fish personnel traveled to the site to check the foot snares. Upon reaching the site, it was determined a yearling grizzly bear was captured in the snare and an adult grizzly sow was in the vicinity. The sow charged the team in an aggressive manner and was shot by Game and Fish personnel. The yearling bear was chemically immobilized and determined to be involved in the attack of the victims. The yearling bear was then euthanized. All evidence collected leads Game and Fish investigators to believe these two bears were responsible for the fatal attack. Based on these findings, Game and Fish has discontinued all trapping operations in this area.

The bears have not been previously captured, relocated or handled by Game and Fish in either conflict mitigation or research efforts.

“The investigation revealed the two men approached the undisturbed elk carcass and there was no sign of bears in the immediate area of the carcass,” said Hovinga. “It was after they started field dressing the elk that the attack happened.”

“This type of bear behavior is not consistent with what we would normally see, especially from a family group. It is more typical for bears to behave in a defensive manner to protect a food source, cubs and their personal space in a surprise encounter,” explained Hovinga.

Game and Fish wants to thank the Teton County Sheriff's Office and Teton County Search and Rescue for their professionalism during the response and coordination in this incident.

A complete and thorough investigation is still ongoing and will continue with a forensic analysis to provide additional scientific evidence.

Something isn't adding up with the two news articles posted above. One states the men were field dressing the elk while the other states the men were dragging the carcass out on horseback. Something is amiss.....

I watched the video and last night saw the same on local TV
I hate to be an armchair quarterback but this guy did not appear to have anything but very minor injuries.
No one knows the whole story but him and there are so many unanswered questions and the interview didn't answer any just raised more questions.
Not sure why you would try to throw a pistol to someone rather than start shooting Bears.

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
Something isn't adding up with the two news articles posted above. One states the men were field dressing the elk while the other states the men were dragging the carcass out on horseback. Something is amiss.....

and there are varying reports on the following:

“Chubon was able to run to his pack gear a few yards away and retrieve a pistol but was unable to safely fire a shot at the bear that first struck Uptain,” the release said. “The attacking bear then spun, charged Chubon, grabbed his foot, and dragged him to the ground. He sustained injuries to his leg, chest, and arm, but was able to throw the gun to Uptain and get loose before running from the scene to phone for help."

Here is the other version?...

"Chubon was grabbed by the ankles and tossed off of his horse, his father said. Chubon was able to point a pistol at the bear, but the animal knocked it out of his hands. Uptain was grabbed by the same bear and dragged into the woods; The AP reports that his body was found Saturday.

"We heard rocks stumble and out of nowhere two grizzly bears just started charging at us," Chubon said.

Chubon said he threw his pistol to Uptain. The paper reports that officials have not been able to find the gun.

"He swung me around in the air and at that point in time I tried to throw the gun to Mark and the gun didn't make it there," Chubon said.

Once Chubon was able to escape the bear, he climbed back onto his horse and rode to the top of a nearby mountain in order to get cell service"

I think folks are applying a level of "exactness" to people's statements and media reporting that just doesn't exist.

Leaving on horseback is “...after they started field dressing the elk..."

Hovinga may have simply said it that way because he normally sees the attack occur on approach. So a delayed attack was what he found significant and felt was newsworthy.

Hell, the client could have said:

"We got there and started field dressing the elk, we got the horses loaded, I got on my horse and the attack occurred"

It is a given in law enforcement that multiple people will describe the same event differently and will also describe it slightly differently each time you ask them. That doesn't mean there lying or that one description was wrong.

My main point is that various people describe incidents differently based on what they perceive to be the pertinent points. Note, one of the articles contains statements from the father who wasn't there so they are second hand.

Add to that, inaccuracy of media reporting in general and I would not attempt to draw conclusions of what actually occurred beyond:

1) Bear attack near elk kill site.
2) Guide killed
3) Client survived initial attack and went for help
4) Guide used bear spray
5) Did they find the handgun? Don't recall.

Hindsight is always 20 20 but how you act in a crisis is a test of character. He shouldn't have thrown the gun, period. I'm sure it was panic, but that's really just an excuse.

Sorry if this sounds heartless,

Personally, I find the throwing of the handgun odd at best. I find the failure to find the handgun extremely odd. It makes me wonder.

I know Larry, Right?

I'm glad they dispatched the bears otherwise there would be bears running around out there with someone's pistol!

Okay, all joking and speculating aside, condolences to the family for this tragic and perhaps unavoidable accident.

Zeke

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Folks,

This is tragic but in all these types of cases where man and aggressive animals encounter one another if we weren't there it's impossible to know how it could have turned out differently. It's speculation at most. We'd all like to think we'd be brave and fight the bear but until we're in that situation how do we really know?

Mark

Very true Mark.

But things do not sound right here.

Why did he not shoot the bear?

I would have imagined any normal person would have done that.

Throwing the pistol at someone who is under attack??

Makes no sense at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Folks,

This is tragic but in all these types of cases where man and aggressive animals encounter one another if we weren't there it's impossible to know how it could have turned out differently. It's speculation at most. We'd all like to think we'd be brave and fight the bear but until we're in that situation how do we really know?

Mark

Very true Mark.

But things do not sound right here.

Why did he not shoot the bear?

I would have imagined any normal person would have done that.

Throwing the pistol at someone who is under attack??

Makes no sense at all.

Read the article in the link I posted above. It explains a lot.

Basically, it was the guide’s Glock. The client could not get it to fire. I guess he was unfamiliar with it. After not being able to get it to fire, he threw it to the guide.

In the final analysis, here is my take . They were in grizzly country. They went to recover a dead elk. This increased the risk of an encounter with a grizzly. Yet for some reason, they did not keep the pistol close enough to grab if there was a problem. Gentlemen, that is called a fatal mistake.

I am speculating that there was no round in the chamber of the Glock.

As likely all of you know, Glock's are not complicated just pull the trigger there is no external saftey catch.

But under duress (and it's likely the client had no "combat" training related to defensive handgun shooting), it is likely he was not familiar with "Tap, Rack, Ready" which is standard protocol for a semi-auto handgun failure to fire in a life threatening situation. Tap the bottom of the magazine to ensure it is seated, Rack the slide to clear any jam and chamber a new round, and "Ready" to fire, i.e, put the sights back on target and assess the threat.

More and more information is coming out all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
More and more information is coming out all the time.

Yup.

Throwing the gun to the guide makes a lot more sent to me now than it did yesterday.

REVOLVER.
My sweetie can not function any type of semi-auto if it does not go "bang" first off. She is very good with her little Ruger 357 revolver. Under pressure, folks revert to gross muscle skills only and often "brain" freeze. All handguns require practice, more so with autos. I only own revolvers because I just do lots better with them in every situation.

I've also got an acquaintance that has a safe full of revolvers and a couple of autos, he also doesn't practice with any of them regularly and is prone to "get overly excited" in any type of situation with a game animal. Some people are just not cut out for hunting, especially in areas with real dangerous game. "A man's got to know his limitations." evidently this individual did learn and in the worst way.

An interesting commentary.

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/...ilure-throwing-gloc/

Shotgun

Does anybody know if a fund has been set up for the family?

I will call the Wyoming Outfitters Association or whatever it is called on Monday.

There is a go fund me account for Mark. Here is the link.

https://www.gofundme.com/mark-uptain

A guide's life is a tough one. Have to watch out for predators and clients. Sometimes not in that order.