(UPDATE, 8:30 PM ) Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks spokesperson Morgan Jacobsen confirms that one person (gender unknown at this time), a West Yellowstone resident, was injured and taken to an Idaho Falls hospital with “severe injuries.”
Investigators have not yet been able to talk with the victim, and are yet to get more details.
Jacobsen adds that while they’ve had no visual confirmations as to the species of bear that attacked the person, it “appears to be a grizzly bear” based on their investigation.
The initial report came in to dispatch around 4 p.m., but FWP is still getting more details together about who made the call and when the attack happened. The FWP warden has been at the scene since then, working with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, US Forest Service, and the West Yellowstone Fire Department.
(1st REPORT, 7:14 pm) A reported attack on a person by a bear near Baker's Hole Campground has forced an emergency closure of parts of the Custer Gallatin National Forest System lands.
According to a post from Gallatin County Emergency Management, effective immediately, all Custer Gallatin National Forest System lands from the boundary of the town of West Yellowstone heading north to the Transfer Station Road #6794 and east of Highway 191 to the Yellowstone National Park boundary are closed.
Baker’s Hole Campground is currently closed for winter. The closure includes Boundary Trail.
An investigation is currently underway. Closure map and order will be provided as soon as possible.
Picture is courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, Flickr, Neal Herbert and is NOT bear from the incident. Bear species has not been confirmed.
