Hunter mauled by grizzly bear west of Calgary

A hunter was mauled by a grizzly bear south of Cochrane, Alta., Thursday afternoon, according to Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

“The bear involved in the attack was shot by the survivor's hunting partner and is presumed dead,” provincial spokeswoman Sheena Campbell said in a statement. “The second bear, age unknown, fled the scene after the collision.”

STARS Ambulance told CBC News the man, in his 30s, was airlifted from the Springbank area, west of Calgary.

Emergency medical services have not confirmed the man's condition, although Alberta Fish and Wildlife said he survived.

Grizzly bear attacks on hunters happen too often, bear safety expert says

“We see this every hunting season,” said Bear Safety and More founder Kim Titchener.

“Every hunting season, both here in Canada and in the United States, we have numerous incidents of people being injured while hunting.”

Earlier this month, an elk hunter fought off a grizzly bear attack in British Columbia's East Kootenay region. He died from his injuries several weeks after the attack.

“We need to change our behavior and try to do everything we can to make it as safe as possible when we hunt, bike, trail run or go camping with our friends and family,” Titchener said.

She said hunters move incredibly quietly through the wilderness, which could be a factor in unexpected bear encounters.

“It's common to accidentally call a predator when you make prey-like sounds,” she said. “It will attract them.”

The bears are expected to hibernate in the coming weeks but are still active in the wild.

“The grizzly bears are still trying to find what's left of the vegetation to eat,” Titchener said. “They're still trying to put on fat for the winter.”

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The attack's proximity to Calgary is not unusual, Titchener said. She pointed to two fatal bear attacks in Mountain View County, northwest of the city.

“Historically, grizzly bears ranged throughout Alberta and the prairies,” she said. “This is bear country, and in some cases bears are returning to the habitat they once lived in.”

Alberta Fish and Wildlife has not confirmed any details about the second bear that fled the scene, although Titchener said the two bears were most likely a mother-cub pair.

“Fish and Wildlife officers will be collecting DNA samples from the survivor to confirm that the bear shot during the encounter was the attacking bear,” Campbell said in a statement.