Euthanized Griz

Did Photographer Bait Grizzly into Soda Butte Rampage?

The key here is that these are just allegations at that time. Baiting animals for the purpose of close-up photography and videography is a serious matter; it’s illegal and is usually bad news for the animal, who becomes accustomed to human food and handouts. When the handouts end, the animals are left to figure out why — and that’s when bad things happen.

The baiting would explain why the bear kept coming back to Soda Butte Campground, located seven miles outside the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone National Park outside Cooke City, even after the killing.

We’re told the FWP folks have identified the photographer and attempting to set up a meeting.

To recap:  A grizzly sow weighing over 300 pounds and her three cubs went to the Soda Butte Campground early Wednesday morning, located seven miles east of the Yellowstone National Park East Entrance past Cooke City, and tore apart a tent containing Kevin Kummer, 48, of Grand Rapids. He was killed in the tent; his body was dragged 25 feet or so and then partially eaten by at least one griz. After that she and the cubs went after two other tents, biting Deb Freele of London, Ontario to the point where she required surgery to repaid the broken bones in her arms; Ronald Singer of Alamosa, Col. was bitten on the calf before fighting off the griz. (Our full coverage can be found in the links at the end of the article.)

The above photo shows the grizzly sow before she was euthanized. Courtesy Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department.

RELATED STORIES: Soda Butte Griz: Light, But Not Malnourished; Soda Butte Griz Cubs Were Malnourished: Zoo Officials; Should Killer Griz Been Allowed to Live?; Confirmed: Cubs Involved in Soda Butte Tragedy Headed to ZooMontana; Mother Griz Put Down After DNA Confirmation; Three Cubs May Go to ZooMontana; Third Griz Cub Trapped; Authorities Waiting on DNA Analysis; Griz Victim Remembered as Avid Outdoorsman; Trap Snares Culprit in Soda Butte Killing: A Mother Griz; Why Did Bear — or Bears — Attack at Soda Butte?; Bear Kills One, Injures Two in Campground Near Yellowstone

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