B.C. grizzly bear that attacked elk hunter found dead

Conservation officers are seen in this image from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service Facebook page.

A grizzly bear that attacked an elk hunter in B.C.’s Kootenay region earlier this month has been found dead, conservation officers said.

On Oct. 2, the hunter was seriously injured in the encounter with a grizzly sow and her cubs in the Fort Steele area, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. Preliminary findings suggested the animals might have been drawn to the hunter’s elk calls.

Officers believed the hunter was able to fire a single self-defense shot, but it was unknown if the bear was hit.

Conservation officers searched the area by foot and from the air but didn’t initially find any bears.

In an update Friday, the BCCOS confirmed it responded to a report of a dead grizzly bear last week in the area of the attack.

The BCCOS said it was able to confirm the deceased bear was the same one involved in the attack through DNA analysis.

The cubs were not found.

“A huge thank you to everyone who supported the response efforts,” the agency wrote in a social media post.

The victim is still recovering in hospital.