Elk hunter who was mauled by grizzly bear is in stable condition, say B.C. officials
CBC News | Posted: October 4, 2025 10:24 PM | Last Updated: 9 hours ago
Conservation officer says a grizzly sow with cubs may have been drawn to hunter's elk calls
An elk hunter who was mauled by a grizzly bear in the East Kootenay is now in stable condition, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
The attack happened on Thursday near Fort Steele, B.C., when officers say a grizzly sow with cubs approached. It may have been drawn to the hunter while he was using calls to attract elk.
"We believe the hunter was calling and we believe the calls attracted the grizzly bear family group towards him," said Tobe Sprado, inspector with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
"And then obviously there was an encounter where he was mauled and sustained serious injuries."
The man was evacuated and taken to Kelowna General Hospital, Sprado said, adding that although the man was initially in critical condition he has since stabilized.
Officers say they have not yet spoken with him due to the extent of his injuries.
'Heavily hunted' area
Investigators say the hunter managed to fire one shot in self-defence, but it's unclear whether the bear was hit.
Conservation officers, supported by RCMP, carried out searches using a drone with thermal imaging, low-level helicopter sweeps and ground patrols but no bears or evidence of bear activity were found.
Sprado said the area is heavily hunted at this time of year, with elk hunting season open until Oct. 20. Under B.C.'s Wildlife Act, the season allows for the hunting of one six-point bull elk per hunter.
He said hunters often use different types of calls to lure bulls, but those sounds can also attract predators and urged hunters to prepare for encounters.
"The biggest thing is that as long as somebody is aware of the location that they're going to be hunting … then they should have a means of communication," he said, while also stressing the importance of keeping bear spray handy.
"Sometimes you might get separated from your firearm, or the predator may be too close for you to use the firearm so they need to have access to bear spray."
Sprado added that in this case, authorities knew where the hunter was and that expedited his rescue.