Massachusetts man injured in grizzly bear attack in Wyoming
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Massachusetts man injured in grizzly bear attack in Wyoming
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A grizzly that accidentally inflicted itself with a burst of pepper spray while attacking a hiker in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park won’t be captured or killed because it may have been trying to protect a cub, park officials said in a statement.
While mauling a hiker on Signal Mountain, the grizzly bit into the man’s can of bear repellent and was hit with a burst of it, causing the animal to flee. The 35-year-old Massachusetts man, who’d pretended to be dead while he was being bitten, made it to safety and spent Sunday night in the hospital.
There was no word when Signal Mountain or a road and trail to its 7,700-foot (2,300-meter) summit would reopen after being closed because of the attack. Such closures are typical after the handful of grizzly attacks on public land in the Yellowstone region every year.
The decision not to pursue the bears, which officials determined behaved naturally after being surprised, also was consistent with attacks that don’t involve campsite raids, eating food left out by people, or similar behaviors that make bears more dangerous.
Rangers track and study many of the Yellowstone region’s 1,000 or so bears but weren’t familiar with the ones responsible for the attack Sunday afternoon, according to the statement.
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The attack happened even though the victim was carrying bear-repellant spray and made noise to alert bears in the forest, the statement said.
Speaking to rangers afterward, the man said he came across a small bear that ran away from him. As he reached for his bear repellant, he saw a larger bear charging at him in his periphery vision.
He had no time to use his bear spray before falling to the ground with fingers laced behind his neck and one finger holding the spray canister.
The bear bit him several times before biting into the can of pepper spray, which burst and drove the bears away.
The man got to an area with cell phone coverage and called for help. A helicopter, then an ambulance evacuated him to a nearby hospital.
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A Grizzly bear named “399” walks with her four cubs along the main highway near Signal Mountain on June 15, 2020 outside Jackson, Wyoming.
George Frey / Getty Images
Investigators suspect from the man’s description that the smaller bear he saw was an older cub belonging to the female grizzly that attacked. Mother bears aggressively defend their offspring and remain with them for two to three years after birth.
Park officials didn’t release the victim’s name. He was expected to make a full recovery.
Recent grizzly attacks
The attack in Grand Teton National Park came just days after a man in Canada suffered “significant injuries” after being attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting with his father.
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Last fall, a Canadian couple and their dog were killed by a grizzly bear while backpacking in Banff National Park. Just weeks before that, a hunter in Montana was severely mauled by a grizzly bear.
Last July, a grizzly bear fatally mauled a woman on a forest trail west of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was later euthanized after breaking into a house near West Yellowstone in August.
Also that month, a 21-year-old woman who was planting trees was seriously injured by a bear in British Columbia. Canadian officials could not locate the animal but believe it was a grizzly bear that attacked the woman.
Grizzly bears in the 48 contiguous states are protected as a threatened species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Last month, the U.S. National Park Service announced it was launching a campaign to capture grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park for research purposes. The agency urged the public to steer clear of areas with traps, which would be clearly marked
SHOSHONI, Wyo. — A 12-year-old boy from Shoshoni is now the proud holder of the Junior 4-pound Line Class world record for bass after netting a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth in August. The boy, coincidentally with the last name Bass, caught the fish at Lake Cameahwait.
According to a release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Tucker Bass and his father were fishing over the lake on a two-person kayak when the young angler reeled in the record fish. He did so on a rod and reel given to him by his grandfather.
Bass is the first Wyoming resident to hold a world record in any category for largemouth. The International Game and Fish Association oversees all world records for fishing and officially approved Bass’s catch in November.
Wyoming’s state record largemouth was caught in 2018 near Sheridan. A comprehensive list of all Wyoming record fish can be found here.
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“This is an exceptional accomplishment for a young angler,” WGF Lander Region fisheries supervisor Joe Deromedi said in the release. “Tucker’s record highlights not only his skill and dedication, but also the quality fishing opportunities we have in central Wyoming. It’s always exciting to see youth developing a lifelong passion for fishing.”
Bass, an avid fisherman, also earned Trophy Angler status in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Master Angler program in August.
For more information on Tucker Bass’s record catch, see the Wyoming Game and Fish website.
Junior Line class 4-pound world record-holder Tucker Bass (WGF Department)
I know this is going to seem weird to read, but some people think Wyoming isn’t a real place. A fake fantasy world, they’ve only read about in books. Many who live in Wyoming are happy to hear that, because they won’t want to move here, but unfortunately, there’s a guy named Josh Allen who has confirmed that Wyoming is real.
READ MORE: Former Wyoming Coach Reconnects With Current NFL MVP
Josh has become a household name and a hero to young football fans everywhere. Even though the reigning NFL MVP wasn’t born and raised in Wyoming, he picked up on the Cowboy State’s traits. He is polite, kind, and does great things for others, including kids at the Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Josh’s impact on Wyoming is huge, and quite often, you’ll see social media posts from Wyomingites who are watching Josh play in Buffalo. Josh’s favorite wings restaurant ‘Double Dubs’ from Laramie, has won “People’s Choice” multiple times at the National Buffalo Chicken Festival in Buffalo.
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READ MORE: Josh Allen’s Return To Wyoming For Jersey Retirement
Now, Josh’s influence on Wyoming has been highlighted on an episode of the New Heights Podcast hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce. Travis (Taylor Swift’s fiancé) mentioned that when Josh was in Laramie having his jersey retired, the fans in the stands created a giant beer snake, and he was proud of Wyoming.
Josh actually called on a fan to lead the student section to create that beer snake. Check out this TikTok video where the MVP asked a fan to get it done.
@trainwrecksports When QB1 requests a beer snake, you better start drinking! 🍻 🎥 via Bills on IG #BillsMafia ♬ original sound – Trainwreck Sports
During the clip on New Heights, interestingly enough, Jason Kelce, who seems to be quite the tailgate party guy, had never heard of a beer snake, but luckily, Travis explained it to him. And, just like that, Wyoming is on the map.
NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen Makes Return to Wyoming for Jersey Retirement
Josh Allen quarterbacked the Cowboys from 2015-17, leading Wyoming to a berth in the Mountain West Championship game his sophomore season. He declared for the NFL Draft in 2018 and was selected No. 7 overall by the Buffalo Bills.
HULETT, Wyo. — Three travelers are dead after a head-on collision in Crook County on Dec. 9. According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the crash occurred as the result of an unsuccessful attempt to overtake another vehicle on Highway 212 in the far northeast corner of the state.
According to the WHP report, published on the WYDOT website, a Subaru Forester was westbound on the route, heading towards the Montana-Wyoming border, at around 11:52 a.m.
Near milepost 16, the driver of the vehicle reportedly elected to overtake another passenger vehicle ahead of it on the two-lane highway.
While heading west in the eastbound lane, the Forester collided head-on with a Subaru Outback heading eastbound. Both cars came to sudden and uncontrolled stops in the southern road ditch. The other westbound car, which the Forester had originally attempted to pass, was left unharmed.
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The three fatalities have been identified as 29-year-old Johnathan Vought, 73-year-old Eugene Cadwell and 52-year-old Rebecca Cadwell. Vought was reportedly a resident of New York, while both Cadwells resided in Montana.
The report did not indicate who among the deceased were in which car. They were all, however, wearing their seatbelts.
Speed and driver inattention were cited as the primary contributing factors in the incident. Weather conditions, including severe winds, overcast skies and wet roads, were also present during the time of the crash.
A map of the route on which the crash occurred, nestled in the far northeast corner of Wyoming and connecting Montana and South Dakota, can be seen below.
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This story contains preliminary information as provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol via the Wyoming Department of Transportation Fatal Crash Summary map. The agency advises that information may be subject to change.
