Calgary man mauled to death by mother grizzly bear while hunting in Kananaskis Country
First posted: Monday, September 08, 2014 11:59 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 01:01 AM EDT
Tragedy has befallen a Calgary hunter, killed by a mother grizzly bear during a hunting trip in K-Country over the weekend.
After more than a day of searching after he was reported missing, the hunter was found and Mounties and other searchers’ worst fears were confirmed.
Wrong place and wrong time, Kananaskis RCMP Const. Virgil Bitz said — the hunter had done nothing wrong, he just crossed the path of a grizzly feeling protective of both her cub and a recent deer kill.
Bitz said the hunter was in the Picklejar Creeks area Saturday, about 140 km southwest of Calgary, after long-horned sheep.
Family reported him missing the following morning.
The search had to be called off due to darkness on Sunday and resumed first thing Monday.
But they already had some idea of the hunter’s fate.
“Searching yesterday revealed some of the hunter’s property ... (and that) he may have suffered injuries,” Bitz said, adding that’s when they also discovered the mother bear and her baby, and the deer.
“Property was located in two areas quite separate from each other.
“Whether he survived the attack or didn’t, it was a priority that we found him ... it’s estimated (we found him) a couple of hundred metres from where his rifle was located.”
Though RCMP have not released the hunter’s name or age, it’s been reported he’s Rick Cross, 54.
Family, waiting for word back in Calgary, has been notified of the tragic turn of events.
It’s that time of year, Bitz said, where grizzlies are in protective “get food now” mode.
“And in Kananaskis Country, bears are absolutely everywhere — we have quite a large quantity of known grizzly bears and also unknown grizzly bears.”
Alberta Parks spokeswoman Jill Sawyer said it is not clear yet what happens to the bears.
“They’ll do an investigation into it,” she said.
“There are quite a few factors that go into it.”
Sawyer said she expects more information on the bears’ fates will be released on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a bear closure for the area remains in effect — the area was initially closed off as the search was in progress.
damien.wood@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNDamienWood
Calgary man mauled to death by mother grizzly bear while hunting in Kananaskis C
First posted: Monday, September 08, 2014 11:59 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 01:01 AM EDT
Tragedy has befallen a Calgary hunter, killed by a mother grizzly bear during a hunting trip in K-Country over the weekend.
After more than a day of searching after he was reported missing, the hunter was found and Mounties and other searchers’ worst fears were confirmed.
Wrong place and wrong time, Kananaskis RCMP Const. Virgil Bitz said — the hunter had done nothing wrong, he just crossed the path of a grizzly feeling protective of both her cub and a recent deer kill.
Bitz said the hunter was in the Picklejar Creeks area Saturday, about 140 km southwest of Calgary, after long-horned sheep.
Family reported him missing the following morning.
The search had to be called off due to darkness on Sunday and resumed first thing Monday.
But they already had some idea of the hunter’s fate.
“Searching yesterday revealed some of the hunter’s property ... (and that) he may have suffered injuries,” Bitz said, adding that’s when they also discovered the mother bear and her baby, and the deer.
“Property was located in two areas quite separate from each other.
“Whether he survived the attack or didn’t, it was a priority that we found him ... it’s estimated (we found him) a couple of hundred metres from where his rifle was located.”
Though RCMP have not released the hunter’s name or age, it’s been reported he’s Rick Cross, 54.
Family, waiting for word back in Calgary, has been notified of the tragic turn of events.
It’s that time of year, Bitz said, where grizzlies are in protective “get food now” mode.
“And in Kananaskis Country, bears are absolutely everywhere — we have quite a large quantity of known grizzly bears and also unknown grizzly bears.”
Alberta Parks spokeswoman Jill Sawyer said it is not clear yet what happens to the bears.
“They’ll do an investigation into it,” she said.
“There are quite a few factors that go into it.”
Sawyer said she expects more information on the bears’ fates will be released on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a bear closure for the area remains in effect — the area was initially closed off as the search was in progress.
damien.wood@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNDamienWood
Calgary man mauled to death by mother grizzly bear while hunting in Kananaskis C