BOZEMAN – A 17-year-old survived after being attacked by a bear south of Ennis.
The teen was reportedly walking down a hill on Sunday when he heard a thump behind him. He turned around to see a bear charging at him.
He reached for the bear spray he brought but was unable to hit the bear with that right away, as it pushed him up against a tree and held him there.
The bear eventually let go, and the teen tried to escape but was then pinned to the ground face down. That’s when he was able to reach over his shoulder and spray the bear.
Morgan Jacobsen with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks says this is the time of the year bears are out of hibernation right now and people also returning to the outdoors so be prepared for an encounter.
“Things could’ve been much different for this boy he is very lucky he did a lot of things right. And you know, a big part of that is carrying and knowing how to use bear spray,” Jacobson said. “That s something we really encourage people to do, in addition to being cautious be aware of your surroundings and using caution.”
The teen only sustained minor injuries from the encounter.
