Man Armed With Handgun Kills Grizzly After Attack

A 72-year-old man who was picking huckleberries alone in Flathead National Forest shot and killed a grizzly bear that attacked him, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The agency says the man shot the female grizzly with a handgun after it charged him on forest land around 2 miles north of Columbia Falls on Thursday. "FWP determined it to be a surprise defensive encounter," the agency said. FWP added that it is trying to determine whether the grizzly had any cubs present, USA Today reports.

Authorities said the man was hospitalized with significant injuries received in the attack, reports USA Today. CNN notes that huckleberries, which reach peak ripeness in mid-July, make up around half the diet of Montana's hundreds of grizzly bears at this time of year. (More grizzly bear stories.)