A woman suffered “non-life-threatening” injuries Monday when she was attacked by a black bear while hiking with her dogs on a trail near Jackson, officials reported.
The incident resulted from “a surprise encounter with a presumed black bear with at least one cub" on the History Trail on Teton Pass, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
“She was well-prepared and successfully deployed bear spray during the incident. Following the encounter, she was able to walk back to the trailhead and was subsequently treated at a local hospital for her injuries,” according to Game and Fish.
The Forest Service subsequently closed the trail.
Defensive Encounter
“The encounter occurred in an area characterized by dense vegetation and low visibility. Investigators did not locate any bears upon returning to the site, and no further management actions are currently planned,” according to Game and Fish.
“Our thoughts are with the individual who was injured, and we wish her a full and speedy recovery,” said Jackson Regional Wildlife Supervisor Brad Hovinga in a statement from Game and Fish. “We are grateful she was well-prepared and carried bear spray, which can make all the difference in these unpredictable situations.”
Black Bears Can Be Trouble
Though they are generally considered to be more docile than grizzlies, black bears can also be dangerous.
Game and Fish personnel on July 23 killed a black bear that showed no fear of humans at camp on Forest Road 15 in the Bighorn Mountains.
Lab tests later confirmed that it was the same bear that tried to enter two tents occupied by Shonna Kaye Dehl of Lovell and Maggie Bassett of Powell on July 5 at another camp off Forest System Road 178 near Fool Creek.
The distance between the two camp sites is approximately 4.5 air miles.
Canada has also seen increased bear activity this summer. A black bear reportedly mauled a toddler Sunday in the town of Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
Dogs and Bears Don’t Mix
Dogs can sometimes make bear encounters worse, bear biologist Tom Smith of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, previously told Cowboy State Daily.
Smith and a team of researchers analyzed 326 bear-human conflicts involving dogs across North America. The incidents happened from 1901 to 2023 and involved black bears, brown bears (including grizzlies), and polar bears.
In some cases, dogs irritated bears and then ran back toward their owners, with the bears on their heels, he said.
In other cases, the dogs simply sat and watched, Smith said.
Dehl and Bassett told Cowboy State Daily that during their encounter on July 5, their four dogs retreated as they tried to drive the bear out of their camp by shining lights at it, yelling, and shooting at the bear.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
