The brown bear involved in Tuesday’s mauling of a Texas hunter has been found dead due to gunshot wounds.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Kenneth Marsh says the adult female brown bear was found Wednesday.
Marsh: “Staff from the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game went out to the mauling site to investigate and to see what went on and find out whether the bear was killed or mortally wounded. They ended up finding the bear about 100 yards from the scene dead.”
While hunting near Skilak Lake Tuesday, September 22, 47-year-old Gregory Matthews and his brother Roger realized there were bears in the trees about 10-yards away.
Gregory shouted “Woah, bears” to notify the bears of their presence and the sow immediately charged. The men reported two large cubs with her.
Gregory reported firing his rifle once during the attack while Roger said he fired multiple times at the bear.
Gregory is recovering at Central Peninsula Hospital, Roger was not injured.
Two bullets were found in the deceased sow.
Marsh said the agency investigators did not find the cubs.
Marsh: “Our investigators found that on the carcass of the adult bear that she was not currently lactating, indicating that the bears are at least a year old if not 2-3 years old.”
Marsh said this attack, like two other Kenai Peninsula bear attacks over the past two months, appeared defensive.
The hunters are now working through the state’s defense of life or property regulations reporting process.
Signs have been posted in the area to alert other recreational users of the bear activity.