Officials say a hunter mistakenly shot himself in the leg while attempting to repel a grizzly bear attack in west-central Wyoming – the second such incident in a week.
After the confrontation on Friday, 65-year-old Evanston resident Lee Francis was transported to the University of Utah Health hospital for treatment, according to the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office. Sue Winchester, a hospital spokesman, stated on Sunday that she lacked authorization to disclose Francis’s status.
(Pinedale, Wyoming – 22 October 2022) SCSO and Tip Top Search & Rescue respond to an injured man’s call during a…
Sublette County Sheriff’s Office published the notice on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
Francis was attacked by a bear while hunting with his son south of Grand Teton National Park on Friday evening. He fired several shots from his revolver, causing the bear to flee, but one of the bullets struck Francis in the lower leg, according to the sheriff’s office.
Just before 6 p.m., his son used a satellite phone to call for assistance and then began administering first aid. His son was able to assist his father in mounting a horse, and they rode to a neighboring lake to meet with rescue personnel. Francis was eventually transported to the hospital via helicopter, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Sgt. Travis Bingham of the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office stated Sunday that wildlife officials had not located the grizzly bear. He stated that Game and Fish planned to attempt another search for the bear on Monday, weather permitting, due to the snowfall.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department was also alerted, and game wardens are conducting an investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.
The attack on Friday was the second grizzly bear mauling in Wyoming within the past week.
On October 15, two Northwest College wrestlers were attacked by a grizzly bear while searching for shed deer and elk antlers in the Cody area.
The bear initially assaulted Brady Lowry of Cedar City, Utah, fracturing his arm and inflicting more injuries.
Kendell Cummings yelled, stomped, and threw pebbles at the bear before pulling on its ear to stop it. However, the bear turned on Cummings and twice attacked him. Evanston native Cummings underwent several hours of surgery and received approximately 60 staples and hundreds of stitches to address his injuries, according to a social media post by his father.
“It was dreadful. Unimaginable bravery was demonstrated by the lads “Jim Zeigler, the head wrestling coach, was stated by KTVQ. They connect frequently by group text, and one of the things I always tell them is, you know, thank you for loving each other; it paid off.