In a heartbreaking incident in Bonner County, Idaho, a young female grizzly bear was fatally shot by a hunter on the evening of May 9, 2025, in the Priest Lake drainage of the Panhandle Region.
The hunter, believing the animal was a black bear, quickly realized the error and reported the incident through the Citizen’s Against Poaching hotline.
They are now fully assisting the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in the ongoing investigation.
This unfortunate event highlights the critical need for hunters to correctly identify their targets, especially in areas like the Panhandle and Upper Snake Regions, where grizzly bears—protected by both state and federal laws—are known to roam.
To prevent such mistakes, Idaho introduced a mandatory bear identification test for black bear hunters, effective January 1, 2025. The test is designed to help hunters distinguish grizzlies from black bears by focusing on key traits like the grizzly’s short, rounded ears, dished facial profile, noticeable shoulder hump, and long claws (2-4 inches).
Fish and Game emphasizes that relying on size or color alone can lead to misidentification, urging hunters to regularly brush up on identification skills using available resources. The agency expressed sorrow over the loss of the grizzly and praised the hunter’s accountability in promptly reporting the incident.
Leave a Reply