Hunter shoots charging grizzly

The Daily Inter Lake

A Coram hunter shot a charging grizzly bear near Marias Pass Monday, and state wardens have determined it was in legitimate self-defense.

According to a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Shawn Damschen was cow-calling for elk when he heard a crashing sound nearby.

When he looked up he saw three grizzly bears ?an adult and two younger bears ?coming towards him.

"Damschen yelled at the bears and the two younger bears ran off, but the sow lowered her head and charged," the release states. "Damschen fired two shots from his rifle at approximately 10 feet and knocked the bear down."

After the shooting, Damschen was joined by his hunting partner, who heard Damschen yelling. The two hiked out and used a cell phone to report the incident to state game Warden Perry Brown.

A few hours later, Brown and another warden met Damschen and his hunting partner to hike back to the site of the shooting. They followed a blood trail and found the badly wounded bear in some brush. Brown dispatched the bear with a single shot.

After investigating the scene, the wardens "found the shooting to be consistent with self-defense," the press release states.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists believe that the two other bears were likely 2-year-olds and should have a good chance of survival. Grizzly bear cubs normally stay with their mothers for two years and separate on their own in the spring.