Any of you from montana have any more info as far as what type of firearm used.

State officials say that a Missoula man shot a grizzly bear in self defense Sunday in the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area near Seeley Lake.

Montana Fish,Wildlife & Parks states in a press release that a female grizzly bear with two cubs surprised the man shortly after noon. The man first hollered at the bear, but the bear continued to advance toward him. When the bear approached to within eight yards, the man shot and wounded the bear.

The man attempted to leave the scene, but the bear chased him, and the man then fired a second shot at five yards, which caused the bear to drop and stop its approach.

I didn't read about this in the Missoulian. I'll check around. Are you referring to the WMA near Clearwater Junction just off the east side of Highway 83? I didn't know we were able to go into WMA with a firearm.

If I have the right place identified, when my ex-wife visited for a few weeks in April, we photographed 300-400 grazing elk in the same area - more elk in one location near home than I've ever seen.

I belive that law changed along with the carry in National parks.

Found it posted on freerepublic.com this morning.

I just read a Missoulian article reporting gross information about the shooting, plus a second one near Ronan. Next time I'm out-and-about I'll try to identify the firearm. The article stated that the shooter hit twice but did not kill the bear. Rangers finished the job.

And their were several hundred people, all apparently shed hunters, who witnessed the incident. No charges were filed against the shooter.

quote:

Originally posted by Naphtali:

And their were several hundred people, all apparently shed hunters, who witnessed the incident.

Several hundred shed hunters? WTF?

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Originally posted by Norton:

quote:

Originally posted by Naphtali:

And their were several hundred people, all apparently shed hunters, who witnessed the incident.

Several hundred shed hunters? WTF?

This is what the news report identified. Why do I envision something like the Oklahama land rush? And several people are being investigated for shed hunting before time.

They busted 3 or 4 guys gathering sheds in one of the refuges a few weeks ago. They face all kinds of charges.

The refuges open up on the 15th with lots of people waiting at the gates. Fights, knifeings have taken place in the pasts.

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:

quote:

Originally posted by Naphtali:

And their were several hundred people, all apparently shed hunters, who witnessed the incident.

Several hundred shed hunters? WTF?

There was a TV show on a month or two ago, I believe the name was Montana Wildlife Cops or something like that.

Anyway, part of the episode dealt with the opening of "shed season". There were cars and RVs backed up for miles. I believe you had to have a shed-hunting license. The wardens were writing all kinds of citations.

A little off the OP topic regarding the firearm that was used but the shed hunting in Montana's WMA's is a serious goat rope.

They open the WMA's on May 15th at noon. Some of the WMA's are wintering grounds for elk and deer and they drop their antlers.

The Sun River WMA is probably the most famous for the shed hunters, that's the one that was on the show that Jason referenced.

Another big one is the Beartooth. I took part in that fiasco Sunday and there were several hundred people parked in line at the gate, some had been there three to four days.

The bear was killed in the Clearwater WMA near Clearwater Junction and I believe it was killed with a handgun but I'm not sure of the caliber.

Some people are shed hunting fanatics. I just like to get out in the spring for some good long hikes to begin preparing for the hunting season.

I can only assume that there must be $$$$$$ in shed hunting? What a friggin joke.....I pick up a bunch when I'm hunting in MT every year......but wait in line in a crowd to do it? Nah...

I heard that it was severely wounded by the shed hunter and a game warden dispatched it.

We have our own version.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2011...nded-with-one-bullet

Grizz

Shed hunting for deer and elk antlers has become an enormous problem in many of the western states to the point that there are now many areas with specific seasons, licenses required, etc. A lot of it is because the people have been harrassing the animals so badly that are already under great stress from the winter months. Then add to it where a lot of people are also violating nonmotorized restrictions to "get the jump" on others and harming the landscape in the process. It is so crazy now that it's almost a full time job for law officers during the late winter/early spring weeks.