Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Elk hoof disease showed up in southwestern Washington elk herds around 2000 and has been slowly progressing ever since. A dramatic rise in reports of limping elk in 2007 prompted a scientific investigation into what was causing the rapid spread. Symptoms include limping while walking and overgrown or broken hooves. It is also reported that bull elk have deformities of the opposite antler, depending on the timing of the hoof infection. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) scientists still don’t understand what causes the disease or how it spreads. The bacteria they have found to be present is a Treponema variety which is causing damage to the affected hooves. However, the WDFW team claims that Treponema is not the root cause of the hoof disease.

“I also have a little bit of concern because the Treponema hypothesis still requires an initiating event…until you figure out what that triggering event was you’re not going to be able to really understand the disease,” said Dr. Fairbrother, an ecotoxicologist with Exponent Engineering and Scientific Consulting.

Governor Jay Inslee has called upon Washington State University (WSU) to monitor the elk and continue studying them. They are just waiting on the legislature to determine where the funding of the project will come from. Charlie Powell, the PR officer for WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said that although they have done some analysis of samples from 2009-2013 they still cannot find the catalyst for what is causing the disease. Now hoof rot is showing up in Oregon elk as well, so it is a never-ending problem.

Gene Crocker of Washington, a 20 year veteran of Cowlitz County Game and Anglers claims it’s simple. “I found out that after Weyerhaeuser clear cuts an area, they spray it with herbicide,” Crocker said. “This kills broadleaf plants for 3-5 years.” He also claims that the scientists don’t know what they’re talking about. “They haven’t been here like I have for 78 years and seen how things have changed. Deer run around with hair loss, pigeons have disappeared completely. We have few grouse now. Honeybees have ceased to exist in the wild.”

Mark Smith, owner and builder of Eco Park resort near Mt. St Helens has also witnessed the decimation of the area’s elk and deer population. “Ninety percent of all the chemicals that Weyerhaeuser uses say ‘DON’T USE ON GRAZING LAND’,” Smith said…”Why do we allow forest land to be sprayed when deer and elk graze in these areas?”

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Understanding Nevada’s Trail Camera Regulations

For hunters in Nevada, new regulations govern the ability to use trail cameras before and during the seasons for all big game animals.  The regulation prohibits the use of trail cameras on public land from August 1 to December 31; unless the camera is capable of transmitting the image without being checked, in which case the use of such cameras is prohibited after July 1.  In essence, the regulation has been implemented to cover the entire big game hunting season.

The regulation has been on the table for several years, and stemmed from county wildlife commissions having concerns over the number of cameras being placed by a couple of outfitters in certain parts of the state.

Many of us have either been a part of or heard about the recent buzz of the Sawtooth Elk Zone tag sales and herd management. Over the years this area has taken a substantial population hit yet the hunt popularity for these zones has remained quite high and now that herd health is looking up we are seeing a hunter opportunity issue. Due to popularity, these tags have sold out very quickly and many hunters are expressing frustration about the fairness of the current process for purchasing tags.

Currently IDFG has a quota/cap on the A & B tags to help prevent over harvest in these units and in turn allow elk herds to continue growing towards IDFG objectives. According to biologists this plan is working to increase elk numbers, but as always Fish and Game has to balance between herd health and hunter opportunity. Thus, IDFG has proposed two separate options to help resolve this issue.

Option 1 – Is to convert the current system into controlled hunts, offering archery-only controlled hunts broken into two areas, with a total of 575 tags. The B tags would also break into two separate areas offering 975 tags for units 33, 34 and 35. And 575 tags for unit 36.

Option 2 – Removes the cap on the A tag hunts and converts the B tag into a limited quota hunt for units 33, 34 and 35, but keeps a cap on unit 36. This would keep the general archery season “as is” in regard to hunt areas and season dates, but would release the cap and effectively bring back a “normal” archery only season. For B tags, unit 36 would keep its current cap of 1,000 tags, while units, 33, 34 and 35 would be combined into one area and be allocated 675 tags.

Recent new wildfires in southern Colorado like the 50-square-mile “416” fire northeast of Durango that is only 15% contained highlight what is shaping up to be a bad year for fires and drought in the West. Just recently, the San Juan National Forest closed Tuesday for the first time in its history. Mancos State Park and seven wildlife areas in southern Colorado have closed. In southern Wyoming a fire has burned 17 square miles as hot and windy conditions continue. Those states are not alone. Look at the most recent fire map below. The West is ablaze.

2018 Wildfire Map as of June – https://www.fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/?archive=2018

You can see wildfires in every western state so far this year, but so far it is more prevalent in the southern states. Compare that to last year when nearly all the fires were in the Northwest (gray symbols are for fires no longer burning, red is for large active fires at the time of the map and yellow are other active fires.

2017 Wildfire Map – https://www.fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/?archive=2017

It’s no wonder the southern states are being hit harder. Here’s the June 5 US Drought Monitor map for the West.

There’s no question, hunters are the true conservationists in this country, on this continent and on this planet for that matter. Sometimes the credit and accolades for major conservation efforts are not properly directed to the right people.

I was recently watching the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meeting, a very dry watch to say the least, but filled with some interesting nuggets as always regarding wildlife management issues within the Cowboy state. During the winter meeting a fella from a fairly obscure “conservation” organization stood up to talk to the commission. He proceeded to tell the commissioners that his group had contributed over $5 million to wildlife conservation efforts in Wyoming over the past few years. That sounded pretty substantial even to me. Quickly after those words echoed off the back wall of the mostly empty room the hackles on a few of the commissioner’s necks went up and the questions abruptly kicked in, and it got pretty interesting and enlightening from there.

Come to find out, this organization receives a double-digit kickback percentage of every single “conservation” tag in the entire state each and every year simply to select and distribute the actual tags to other conservation organizations to be auctioned or raffled off to finally generate huge amounts of money for wildlife projects. I don’t need to tell most of you that a roughly 10% cut of every single commissioner and governor’s tag in the entire state adds up to a very large amount of money each year. The conversation went south from there as the group presenting to the commission appeared to try and take credit for the money raised by auctioning and raffling the public tags which are actually the property of the residents and tax payers of Wyoming. As you can imagine this did not go over well with the commission at the time, and it got me thinking as well.

The wildlife of every state belongs to the residents of that state, that’s a fact. Sportsmen and sportswomen solely fund the Game and Fish Department in Wyoming and most other western states as well. To me it would only make sense that these auction and raffle tags belong to the sportsmen and sportswomen of each individual state from which they are derived, regardless of when, where and how they are actually monetized.

In my mind, I think it only fair to thank the sportsmen of each state for these tags that are highly monetized to the benefit of the wildlife of that state. All too often do I hear and see organizations and departments for that matter taking credit and patting themselves on the back for funds raised for “conservation” through the auction and raffle of a public resource that belongs solely to the resident hunters and fishermen of that state. The quiet majority seems to never demand credit or respect even when it is completely justified and necessary.

Western big game hunter and soccer dad Ike Eastman shares his thoughts on the new six gallon water cooler from YETI. The YETI Silo is designed to keep pouring no matter how many times it’s spout has been rattled, bumped or beaten in the back of your truck or the UTV. This drink cooler is a fantastic companion for backyard BBQs, thirsty work crews or the sweaty soccer team fresh of the field after a tournament. Join as Eastman shares one of his favorite drink recipes and tests out the Silo water cooler by YETI.

The post The New Yeti Silo appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Big game hunters Ike Eastman and Todd Helms join forces to make homemade breakfast sausage. This DIY game meat sausage recipe is quick and easy using a Hi Mountain Seasonings blend. Helms shares his tips and tricks to ensure the grind process is smooth and hassle free ensuring a premium food product to eat with your family and friends.

The post Wild Game Sausage Preparation appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Here We Go Again – Oil & Gas Leases in Western Wyoming’s Legendary Hoback Mule Deer Migration

I believe Albert Einstein is credited with the expression, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” Over the course of time we routinely see the same threats descending on our wildlife resources, whether it be urban sprawl, the sale of public lands, irresponsible energy development, etc., yet decade after decade we refuse to learn from lessons previously learned.

Recently the Jackson Hole News & Guide published this article on resurrected threats to the famed mule deer migration route that runs through portions of western Wyoming. This area has long been the target of oil and gas exploration due to the rich mineral resources that exist.

Some of the region’s wildlife can handle the development and should see us taking advantage of the much needed oil and gas below the sagebrush surface, as long as it is done in a responsible manner. Other parts of the region, though, are in a far different category.

At the turn of the century this area saw vast energy development, yet some areas were left alone due to their importance to migrating mule deer and those of us that pursue them in a chunk of Wyoming that is historically significant to mule deer populations. And with additional research recently conducted over a 17-year period, there is no doubt that this new round of potential development would adversely impact an already struggling deer herd.

One thing that drives me nuts about politicians and political parties is that the left wants to protect everything at all costs and stifle the economy, while the right (which is the direction I lean politically) tends to take the rape and pillage standpoint as long as it is good for business. Why can’t there be middle ground on some of these issues? It IS possible to be a hunter-conservationist, while at the same time promoting RESPONSIBLE energy development. This recent news for western Wyoming, however, is the opposite of responsible.

It is the time of year when special draw elk permit results are coming out, and applicants have low chances at a tag. Nevertheless, every year I find myself thinking that I will defy the odds. However, with most of the draws now behind us, if you’ve come up empty, it’s time to start considering Plan B.

A good jumping off point is to compare units by accessibility. Which ones have the most public land? Is the public land reachable?

From there, take a look at past hunter success rates to identify the places where people have the best luck at killing elk. Take the top five overall units based on these categories and turn them into your preliminary hit list.

With these units in mind, call the state’s Fish and Game office and ask for the biologist that covers those areas. Biologists are especially helpful to a hunter that has done his homework beforehand. This time of year, biologists will have just been finalizing the results from their post-winter aerial surveys, so their knowledge is as up-to-date as it gets. Ask the biologist about elk population trends and herd locations throughout the year. After all, it does you little good to hunt a promising looking area if elk numbers are meager or if the elk migrate out a month before the season starts.

After gaining the biologist’s insights, dig into your scouting. Although it would be ideal to make an actual scouting trip during the summer, I realize that this is not possible for everyone. Fortunately, we have electronic mapping tools like Google Earth and onXmaps that allow for virtual scouting trips.

Rocky Mtn. sheep and goat licenses in Colorado exploded this year, 279% and 467%, creating an enormous logjam of new license seekers that will make it far more difficult to draw a license for Rockies or goats in Colorado if you are not already sitting on weighted points.

Last week the results came out for moose, deer, elk, pronghorn and black bear. So, what happened?

Moose

If you thought the 467% jump in mountain goats was big, Shiras’ moose applications jumped 567%. Unlike sheep and goats that are in a weighted point draw that new applicants are not eligible for until three more years, moose are in the regular preference point draw and if you haven’t put in by now, you are behind nearly 41,000 resident and over 12,000 nonresident applicants for 444 licenses per year. Good luck with that.

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Win a 3,000 cubic inch Alternative pack your choice of Talon or Grip frame and your choice of color and fabric valued at over $595.00 from Black’s Creek Guide Gear!  Sign up below and make sure you follow Black’s Creek Guide Gear on Instagram and Facebook!

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The past decade or so Idaho has slumped off a bit regarding overall trophy quality and record book entries. However, this seems to be trending up, as Idaho is now back in the #2 slot with a whopping 284 book entries since 2000, pushing past Wyoming and Utah by a notable margin. This is an encouraging fact to consider for the mule deer hunters of the west. The southeast corner of the state suffered a severe winter kill in 2016, so this information is purposefully omitting these units until we see the deer numbers bounce back, hopefully sooner than later.

South Hills Unit 55 (early) – Early is the key word here. With the season starting in mid-August, this is a truly unique any-weapon hunt choice. Rifle hunting muleys in the velvet is not something just anyone can say they have done. Draw odds are par for the course, harvest success is holding steady and percentage of bucks harvested 4-point or better is about as good as it gets. Trophy quality is also top-notch and 160-180 class deer are achievable.

Pioneer Unit 36A & Salmon Unit 36B – Not a great choice for nonresidents due to the limited tags, but these hunts are top-notch. Very high public land percentage, perfect harvest stats and nearly all the deer harvested are 4-point or better. The terrain is rugged, ranging from open foothill country to giant alpine peaks, so there is truly something for everyone within these units, front country to backcountry.

Salmon Unit 28 – A very different hunt from the two hunts previously mentioned, this hunt located just west of Salmon, ID is almost completely public land. Big country, steep mountains, difficult spotting. Much of this region in Idaho has been logged or is being logged, which makes for great mule deer habitat. It also means there are roads cut throughout much of this unit. A good look at a forest service map would help to see what roads are open or closed. Either way, this hunt takes place during the prime time for mule deer, early October when bucks are relaxed and feeding up, or late November during the three rut phases. Hard to go wrong with these season dates. Harvest odds are very consistent, and 4-point or better stats are sitting at an 85% average.

Smokey-Bennett Unit 44 Holding steady on the charts, this is one of the best nonresident opportunities. Tag allocations are high, harvest success is top-notch and 4-point or better is up there as well. Hunter pressure is the major drawback here. The unit is not huge and there are hunters crawling all over it. Trophy quality will reflect this pressure and therefore hunters are not as likely to find a cranker buck.

Idaho has a good list of pronghorn hunt opportunities that allow for a great pursuit and likely harvest if you draw a permit. Harvest success is quite high for rifle hunters, muzzleloader drops a bit and archery is at the bottom of the heap, but when compared to other archery stats, these harvest odds are actually quite good. There are four unlimited permit hunts offered in the archery-only category. This is quite appealing to the avid bowhunter and will offer you a challenging adventure that is sure to sharpen your wits prior to your deer and elk hunts should you choose to spot and stalk these guys. Pronghorn make a great warmup hunt and can leave the best of the best hunters with their head in their hands seething in frustration at yet another failed stalk.  

Last year IDFG cut back on Unit 68 permits due to a heavy winter kill, but new hunts were added in Unit 38 for rifle season and Unit 55 for archery and any-weapon. After looking at the Unit 55 results, I would say there must be something in the water down there. The highest horn length average statewide came from this new unit, both with rifle and archery tackle. We upgraded this hunt to a green chip status and will monitor it as we move forward. Definitely one to keep an eye on for you resident hunters.

Unit 52A-1 – Located northeast of Twin Falls, ID. This is very accessible. Bucks are solid, with a current 3-year average just over 13”. Terrain is varied, with something for everyone, some broken country and open flats. You can even hunt the Craters of the Moon National Preserve! Draw odds are tough as to be expected, but it’s a worthwhile choice for those willing to wait.

Unit 54 – Harvest odds are steady, averaging 70% plus over the past three years. Trophy quality is solid, terrain here is broken and treed in the foothills. Lowlands are the go-to place, but the foothills are solid producers and offer excellent stalking. Don’t be afraid to look high for these guys. It’s not uncommon to find them on the ridge tops chasing does.

Unit 55-10 – This unit is new to the list as of 2017 and from early reports we see excellent harvest stats – 100% on the 10 permits and the average trophy quality was the best we saw statewide. Draw odds here are tough, nonresidents didn’t see any permits for rifle, but they did get 1 archery permit. Definitely a worthy unit for those willing to wait the odds out.

Idaho elk hunting is as good as it has ever been, herd populations are above objective in most units, while other areas are holding strong and only a handful of areas are showing decline. These are wonderful times to be an Idaho elk hunter! Idaho does not offer a bonus or preference point system and therefore odds are a bit tougher to calculate, Idaho also caps nonresident permits at no more than 10% of the current year resident quota. These are actually good factors, and in my opinion, are the way draws should be handled throughout the west. If you are wanting to apply for a top-notch hunt with high harvest success Idaho has a long list of opportunities, however, if you are looking for a trophy elk unit, the list gets short quick. Here are a few of the chart toppers from the Gem state that have the highest potential for both harvest success and trophy opportunity.

South Hills Unit 46 is one of the best units in Idaho, excellent public land access, mild to medium terrain, and one of the more likely places to shoot a cranker bull. There are three seasons for any weapon hunters, all of which perform very well. Take a look at the stats, each hunt choice is noteworthy. The muzzleloader hunt in this unit has great season dates, however, the stats don’t reflect the best of odds. Nonetheless, there is excellent potential and likely harvest for those willing and able to put in the miles.  

Smokey-Bennet Unit 44 – The early hunt here is a rifle rut hunt opportunity. Season runs from September 25th through October 10th similar to the Owyhee unit previously mentioned. However, in contrast to the Owyhee unit this hunt does not run in conjunction with the archery hunt. So as best I can tell you will have the area to yourself in regard to elk hunting. Season dates scream potential, draw odds are very low, but harvest of 6–point bulls is way up there at 72% average over the past three years.

Owyhee Unit 40-1 is probably one of the best for bigger bulls. With the season running in late September and into early October, this is a rifle rut hunt and that is a unique opportunity. These elk herds are not bursting at the seams, but when you find bulls you are likely to see a shooter. There are only five permits allocated, thus nonresident permits are not likely, however, IDFG will allocate a single permit here on rotation, so keep an eye out! The terrain is varied, some areas are pretty rugged and others are medium, but either way you are likely to put some miles in and be prepared for a rugged pack out. High public land and good access make this hunt choice excellent. Draw odds reflect this and are slim at best.
The archery hunt choice here is also a chart-topper. Draw odds are tough for archery but a solid bet, harvest stats are absolutely incredible for an archery hunt. The downer here is that IDFG has the archery hunt and the any-weapon hunt running simultaneously, something that isn’t found very often. The stats don’t seem to be hurt by this but it sure could make for some interesting encounters.

South Hills Unit 55-1 – Located on the southern border along the Nevada/Utah junction. This hunt is lacking in the harvest stats, the 3-year harvest average is sitting at 55%. However, last year harvest success came in at 75% and 83% of those were 6-point or better and rumor has it there are some big bulls being killed down there. Public land percentage is decent and the terrain is varied, ranging from lowland agricultural to mildly rugged islands of mountains. Trending back up, this is a unique opportunity and has potential for someone willing to unlock it.

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The antelope in Wyoming have done very well this year. With a mild winter and spring, the habitat nearly statewide should see some very good improvements. I think this could be the year for good antelope in the Cowboy State. The southern counties of Carbon and Sweetwater should be back to big buck production after a nearly five-year slip. Both quantity and quality of antelope this year should be better than last year. And with a statewide buck quota increase of over 1,800 tags this year alone, the odds of drawing a good tag should be much better. Nonresident applicants could even see an entire point shaved off the draw odds in some of the better buck antelope areas. Most of the quota increases were seen in the better antelope producing areas in and around Carbon, Natrona and Sweetwater Counties. As we all know, quota increases seem to be the only cure for point creep inside most draw systems, and Wyoming has sent a shot of 1,800 tags into the veins of a once sick and decaying antelope draw system.

“We had good pronghorn survival and reproduction over fours years and populations have really rebounded in the Casper region. We were able to bring back a lot more hunting opportunity — there’s been an increase of nearly 6,000 licenses since 2014.” -Justin Binfet, the Game and Fish wildlife management coordinator in Casper

1) 114-1 (98/100)- A relatively liberal season, over 90% public land and very limited hunting pressure with a quota of only 50 tags, this area is about as good as it gets this year for Wyoming antelope. The trophy potential in this area is very good and the winter and spring have been fairly mild here. This could be the year for this area.

2) 53-1 (95/100)- With 65% public land and an increased quota, this historically good antelope area sits smack in the middle of the best records book producing antelope county in the entire country. With a mild winter and a wet spring, this area should be back to its old big buck producing ways this year.

3) 58-1 (94/100)- A Sweetwater County hot spot that could finally be back to big buck production. A very liberal hunting season and an increased quota could put this area in a big buck hunter’s cross-hairs with 11 or 12 preference points.

4) 60-1 (94/100)- A mild winter and improved habitat should put more antelope on the landscape in this area this year. Near to max points will be needed to hunt here, but the wait could finally again be worth the pain as this area has finally bounced back off of a five year down cycle.

The mule deer outlook in Wyoming remains somewhat bleak. Keep in mind, that a large proportion of our biggest deer reside on the Western side of the state and this area was hit very, very hard during the brutal winter of 2016-2017. The effects of that winter will be lingering for years to come, in all reality probably three more at least. Given this very tough situation I have again chosen areas outside the nucleus of the area hardest hit by the weather last year. I do think there still remains some very good mule deer to be had in Wyoming, however, the volume of deer will be noticeably lower than usual again this year. Another fact to keep in mind when talking about Wyoming’s big bucks is the basic premise that Wyoming does not really manage for huge deer and older age class bucks like Colorado or Arizona does. Wyoming’s biggest bucks generally come out of the general regions on the Western portion of the state. Regions such as G, H and K contribute the most, big bucks to the pool for Wyoming. The sad part is these are the regions that were the most devastated from the winter. The top five hunts for Wyoming deer this year are mostly concentrated around the central and southern regions of the state. Any of these five hunts will more than likely produce a good hunt for a good buck even on a year like this. Bucks in the 160-190 class can be expected on any of these five hunts.

“Deer hunting will still be difficult because of last year’s winter — that’s why we shortened the deer season, reduced the nonresident quota, and implemented a 3-point or better restriction in 2017.” -Doug McWhirther, WY G&F Jackson Area Wildlife Coordinator

1) 87-1 (95/100)- Again this year we expect the buck hunt in Area-87 to be the best deer hunt the state has to offer given the current weather and habitat situation. This area sits right in the heart of Carbon County, one of the country’s best big buck producers. Now with 125 tags available ten or more points will be needed to hunt here. The buck to doe ratio here is an outstanding 58/100 and growing while hunter success remains solid at around 82%. The last two weeks of October season should be good for a nice staged up 170+ buck for those that hunt hard.

2) 101-1 (94/100)- The hunt in this area remains very solid with limited hunting pressure and only 25 tags available in 2017. The buck to doe ratio here is also very high at 47/100 and hunter success has also climbed to over 90% the past few years. A nice buck in the 160-180 class should be the reality here with the potential for a giant in the 190 to 200-inch class possibly in the mix. This area has the best potential to produce a true giant buck. A mild winter and wet spring could be just the ticket to create such a monster buck on a year like this.

3) 89-1 (89/100)- The mule deer hunt in this area just seems to get better and better each year. Coming off a very drastic drop in 2012 this area continues to rebound nicely. A buck to doe ratio of 38 and holding is a sign of a stabilized deer herd. Hunter success here has rebounded back to the 90% range and the state has increased the quota here to 125 tags recently, a further sign of a rebounded area. Access here is very good with over 138,000 acres of Walk-In and 60% public land to hunt on. The two-week season at the end of October could be a bit tough as the bucks being to stage for the rut in the brush and the weather becomes more unpredictable. I expect this hunt to be a very solid option in the 8 to 10-point range for a nice 160-180 class deer. The bowhunt in this area should be very solid as usual.

4) 102-1 (87/100)- Creeping back into good graces, this area seems to be getting a little bit better each year as the deer population rebounds and the habitat improves from the 2012 drought. The wild horse and elk explosion in this historic big buck haven have not done this area any favors over the past twenty years. The buck to doe ratio here has climbed back up to 47/100 but the deer population here still remains down from the objective by nearly 52%. A quota of 200 tags and a hunter success that has crept back up to over 80% shows yet again that the Area-102 hunt can be a very relaxing hunt for a good Wyoming buck. I would expect a buck hunter with max points to kill a nice buck in here this year in the 170” and up category. The occasional monster buck might be lurking the juniper country in this area with such an easy winter and mild spring.

Yup, you heard it correctly, it’s your fault as a hunter that a lion recently attacked two Washington State cyclists. According to Brooks Fahy the Director of Predator Defense, hunting and killing adult male lions puts the “social structure” of a cougar population into “social chaos,” with younger animals making up the bulk of a population.

With more young animals in the population the likelihood of encountering a lion that hasn’t learned that humans aren’t food is higher and therefore the resultant deadly interactions are just a byproduct that we can expect from hunters taking mature, mostly male, animals out of the population.

OR…

By making the hunting of lions with dogs illegal those states, like Washington, who have adopted this practice have unwittingly created a situation were lion hunting is, in effect, a fruitless endeavour and therefore an entire generation of cats has come to view humans as something other than THE apex predator in their ecosystem, making the animals bolder and more aggressive toward humans.

Now for the fun part, what’s your take?

As the spring season progresses and hibernation comes to an end, there is always the unplanned risk of encountering a bear in the field. Amber Kornak was unfortunately an example of this experience and was mauled by a grizzly bear on the job.

Kornak, a 28 year old bear researcher in northwest Montana, had just begun her job a few days prior. Alone on a trip into the field, Kornak was busy collecting hair samples near a stream when a grizzly attacked her. Because she was a near a stream, it’s possible that Kornak did not hear the bear coming due to the noise from the water. Luckily, she was carrying bear spray and sprayed the bear during the mauling, which stopped it from continuing. Immediately following the attack, Kornak used a satellite communication device that she brought with her to call 911. Kornak suffered a fractured skull and multiple lacerations to her scalp, neck and back. Despite her injuries, she walked the two miles back to her vehicle and drove to get help. Upon getting help, Kornak underwent four hours of surgery and is now in stable condition.

While travelling and working in bear country, being prepared and constantly aware of your surroundings is of the highest importance. Kornak, despite her bad experience, was well prepared for the attack by carrying bear spray and a satellite communication device with her in the field. To learn more about being safe in bear country, check out the videos below: