Dying bear hurts man

A wounded black bear injured an archery hunter’s companion near Thompson Falls on Tuesday before the bear died during a struggle with the man.

The archer was hunting elk in a drainage off of Prospect Creek when he spotted a black bear and shot at it with his bow, according to a news release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The hunter had a black bear license.

The hunter waited several hours after shooting the bear before he started tracking the bear.  

When the hunter found the wounded bear, however, it was still alive. so the hunter shot the bear two more times with arrows.   

After the final shot, the bear ran several yards down the hill into the nonhunting companion of the archery hunter who had just arrived to help out.    

The bear grabbed and bit the man’s arm and after a brief struggle the bear died.  

The hunter and his companion were able to quickly get back to their vehicles and drive to the Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains where the man was treated for his injuries and released.   

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens returned to the site of the incident that night and determined the bear died from multiple arrow wounds.  

The bear was found less than 100 yards from the main roadway on National Forest land. It was a female black bear estimated to weigh 140 to 150 pounds. There were no cubs present and the hunter legally tagged the bear.