Hunter is attacked by grizzly and accidentally shoots himself in leg, Wyoming cops say
A 65-year-old hunter accidentally shot himself in the leg when he tried to fend off an attacking grizzly bear, authorities in Wyoming said.
Lee Francis from Evanston was hunting with his son in the Rock Creek area along the Sawtooth Mountains on Friday, Oct. 21, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office said.
When the grizzly bear began attacking Francis, he fired his handgun at it multiple times, deputies said. The bear fled, but the man accidentally fired a round into his lower leg, deputies said.
His son contacted deputies through an SOS device at 5:52 p.m. and then tried to control his father’s bleeding, authorities said.
Francis’ son helped him onto a horse and took him to meet with rescuers.
Rescuers found the two men around 9:20 p.m. at the Big Twin Creek drainage and performed first aid on Francis before transporting him on a UTV back to a ranch, authorities said.
Francis was then airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital.
The Wyoming Game & Fish Department is investigating the bear attack and trying to find the animal.
Two college wrestlers were also attacked by a grizzly bear on Oct. 15 in the Shoshone National Forest near Cody, making it the second bear attack in a month in western Wyoming.
What to do if you see a bear
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. Bears in most attacks are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and non-threatening.
Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.
This story was originally published October 24, 2022 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Hunter is attacked by grizzly and accidentally shoots himself in leg, Wyoming cops say."
