Surprised bear bites hiker after it charges from thick timber, ID officials say
.jpeg "A bear (not the one pictured) attacked a hiker in Idaho’s backcountry, officials say.")
A surprised bear bit a solo hiker after charging him in Idaho’s backcountry, wildlife officials say.
The hiker was near Squirrel Creek in Fremont County the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 30, “when a bear charged at him through the thick timber from a short distance away,” Idaho Fish and Game said in a news release.
As the bear ran past the hiker, it bit him before running into the forest, officials said.
Though the man was injured, he managed to hike out and seek medical treatment, officials said.
“Fish and Game staff have posted signs in the area advising visitors of bear activity,” officials said.
The bear likely reacted defensively as it was a “surprise, close encounter,” officials said, adding that no management actions are being planned for the bear.
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
To avoid surprising a bear in Idaho’s backcountry, officials said visitors should heed the following:
- Hike with a group of three or more.
- Try to not hike when bears are most active “after dark, or at dawn or dusk.”
- Be cautious in areas with low visibility, “such as bushy areas near streams.”
- Stay alert and try to spot the bear before you catch it by surprise by watching for “fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites (signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills).”
- Make noise while hiking, “periodically yell ‘Hey bear!’ to alert bears to your presence, especially when walking through dense vegetation/blind spots, traveling upwind, near loud streams, or on windy days.”
- Try to avoid thick brush, as “bears often use the same trails hikers do, and are attracted to sources of food like berry patches or carcasses.”
- Pack bear spray and “know how to use it.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2025 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Surprised bear bites hiker after it charges from thick timber, ID officials say."
