Brothers seriously injured after bear attack in Yellowstone National Park

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Brothers seriously injured after bear attack in Yellowstone National Park

Hikers airlifted, remain in hospital in ‘serious’ and ‘critical’ condition.

By Christina MacIntosh / Environmental Reporter 7 hrs ago



As Craig Lerman approached Mystic Falls on Monday afternoon he started seeing bear paw prints in the mud and snow. Then he saw a bloody hat. And a watch. ... “I was very alert after that,” Lerman said. “I knew that something was going on.”

Lerman continued up the trail, which is about a mile from the Biscuit Basin Trailhead in Yellowstone National Park, and encountered an injured hiker lying in a pool of blood, with his face and body “torn up.”

The hiker was one of two brothers attacked by at least one bear on Monday afternoon, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s first bear attack of the season. The two brothers were airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where one is in critical condition and the other is in serious condition.

The News&Guide pieced together the brothers’ names through social media posts and obtained a status report from the hospital, but is not reporting their names until they are released by family members or officials.

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Christina MacIntosh
Christina covers the environment and public lands. She has previously lived and reported in Montana and California.

[hlthe2b]

1. Some indication one of the wounded carried & deployed bear spray...

Disturbing, but not unexpected. A surprise attack is certainly not conducive for good aim and that is only made worse if wind conditions are not optimal. The hiker who came upon the wounded had no bear spray at all. Yikes!

For those convinced guns are the answer, there are several good YouTube videos from established marksmen comparing their ability to shoot accurately (handgun or rifle) versus deploy bear spray at a still and then moving target. Both were pretty dismal results. But still, I carry bear spray and a very loud whistle--the latter more for coyotes or bobcats, but might be useful. That the brothers were hiking together is helpful, but more is better.