Grizzly Bear Attack: Man Hunting For Antlers Sustains Severe Injuries To Neck, Airlifted To Hospital

A man was severely injured after he was attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting for antlers. The incident took place in the East Painter Creek area, Wyoming, on Friday (May 1) morning.

The 41-year-old victim, identified as Spencer Smith, was searching for antlers in the East Painter Creek drainage, north of the Sunlight Basin (Wildlife Habitat Management Area) when he was attacked by the grizzly. He sustained severe injuries to his neck as well as several other injuries during the encounter.

According to a statement released by Park County Sheriff's Office, Smith sent a distress signal from his satellite communication device at around 10:47 a.m. local time (12:57 p.m. EDT), after which, a game warden, identified as Chris Queen, was able to track Smith near his vehicle within an hour.

Smith was then airlifted to the St Vincent’s Hospital in Billings for treatment and was said to be in a stable condition.

Park County Search and Rescue, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, Cody Regional Health Wilderness Response Team, Wyoming Game and Fish, and Guardian Flight were all immediately activated to search for Smith, but were canceled before arriving at the scene.

The attack took place a few hours after the Sunlight Wildlife Habitat Management Area was opened for the season after being closed since December.

“The safety of outdoor recreationists is always at the forefront of our minds,” said Dan Smith, Supervisor at Cody Regional Wildlife. “Our thoughts are with the individual who was injured and we wish him a full and speedy recovery,” he added.

“Bears are out and active and people should continue to be vigilant if enjoying the outdoors in bear country,” said Dan Thompson, an official from Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

As of Friday afternoon, the case was being investigated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

In a similar incident last year, a man hunting bears was attacked by the animal. A group of at least three men with dogs were out hunting for bears near Mount Sterling, Kentucky. They had found a bear sitting on a tree when one of the hunters accompanying the victim shot the bear three to four times, after which, the injured bear tumbled out of the tree and attacked the man. He sustained several non-life threatening injuries including bite marks, scratches, broken pelvic bone, and injuries to his back and stomach.