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Woman, dogs mauled by bear near Priest Lake |
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July 6, 2017 |
By Phil Cooper
IDFG Wildlife Conservation Educator
A 60-year old woman and her dogs were attacked
and injured by a bear shortly after 9 a.m.
Tuesday, July 4, near Priest Lake.
The attack occurred on the Chipmunk Rapids trail
near the Priest Lake Visitors Center on the
southwest corner of the lake.
The victim told authorities she and her dogs
encountered what appeared to be a large black
bear while walking on the trail.
The bear charged and knocked her down, biting
and clawing her on the head, on her side and in
the abdomen. The dogs were also injured.
The victim was able to use her phone to call her
relatives staying at a nearby cabin. When they
arrived approximately 30 minutes later, the bear
was still at the scene and they had to swing a
dog leash and yell at the bear to get it to
leave.
Life Flight helicopter was dispatched and took
the victim to Sacred Heart Medical Center in
Spokane for treatment. None of her injuries
appear to be life-threatening.
The dogs were treated by a local veterinarian
and will recover.
Authorities closed the trails around the Priest
Lake Visitors Center. The Bonner County
Sheriff’s Department, the Idaho State Police,
the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Fish and Game
are investigating the incident.
Area houndsmen along with about a dozen dogs
were brought in to help track and locate the
bear. |
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