40-year-old Charles Mock was fishing alone at a campground about 3 miles north of West Yellowstone Park last week when he was attacked by a grizzly bear. Mock had bear spray on him but it’s unclear if he was able to deploy it during the attack. Mock was a guide for Backcountry Adventures.
A group of seven investigators returned to the attack site the next day to conduct an investigation. Before reaching the site, they were repeatedly charged by an “older-age male grizzly”. According to park officials:
“Despite multiple attempts by all seven people to haze away the bear, it continued its charge. Due to this immediate safety risk, the bear was shot and died about 20 yards from the group.”
Investigators later found a moose carcass near the site of Mock’s attack and presume the bear was protecting his food source.
Since 1979, 44 people have been attacked by grizzly bears in the park. Grizzly bear attacks typically only last a few minutes but can be prolonged if the victim fights back. Grizzly attacks are much likelier to produce severe injuries during an attack but there are ways a person can defend themselves during a grizzly/brown bear attack.