September 23, 2011 in News, Outdoors

Hunter killed by gunshot wound, not by grizzly bear attack

Chelsea Bannach The Spokesman-Review

Tags:bearsgrizzliesgrizzly bearshuntingLincoln County Sheriff’s OfficeMontana State Crime LaboutdoorsSteve StevensonTy Bell

43 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

RockChalk on September 23 at 4:27 p.m.
Ha ha ha ha!!!!
UvulaCrusher on September 23 at 4:38 p.m.
If Mr.Stevenson hadn’t died, I’d be inclined to post ala RockChalk.
I will say that to me hunting was always thought of as the time you selected the husband/boyfriend of the best looking wife/girlfriend in your circle…..and had a hunting ‘accident’.
It now appears the seasoned 20 year old hunter…..misstook a bear and shot it from 60 yards away…..when a hunter needs to KNOW what they are shooting…….regardless of them being difficult to determine….if you don’t KNOW……you don’t shoot…….additionally……..now, Mr. Stevenson has died from another bullet….not the erroneous bear.
There should have been charges before, and nothing has changed. If the bear hadn’t been shot incorrectly, the actions go a different path…..
Soccer Mom Susie where are you….
Hunterman on September 23 at 4:44 p.m.
Certianly nothing to laugh at. Sad, but in this case NOT funny.
RockChalk on September 23 at 4:49 p.m.
Hunterman,
Maybe you should put down your gun and pick up a dictionary. At least let your child proofread your post before you send it.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on September 23 at 4:50 p.m.
These people are even dumber than I thought they were before.
Kivaari on September 23 at 4:58 p.m.
This wrong on so many levels. The humor some find in this death is just wrong. There is no defense for these involved parties. Know your target before you shoot. Don’t get chewed on. And don’t shoot your partner. This is a case where maybe pepper spray would have saved both the man and beast.
oneanddone on September 23 at 5:04 p.m.
The REALLY dumb fools are those that don’t recognize a tragedy when the see one. You don’t deserve the food stamps you probably get.
misjustice on September 23 at 5:08 p.m.
Hmmmmm…I thought that they were “experienced” hunters?
Live by the sword (loaded gun) die by the sword (loaded gun)…
Albert on September 23 at 5:10 p.m.
Mr. Bell will now have to live with this unfortunate event for the rest of his life. In his efforts to save his buddy’s life, he most likely was taken by panic, and now the investigative report documents this mistake. I grieve for both parties in this matter.
Kivaari on September 23 at 5:45 p.m.
Misjustice, This has nothing to do with the philosophy of living by the gun…this is all about negligence. Without those willing to wield the sword or use the gun, you wouldn’t have the ability to comment. Some of us were always willing to be the pointy end of the sword - while the pacifists sit back and enjoy the freedom to criticize the those under arms. Earn your own freedoms.
BlondeSquawker on September 23 at 5:46 p.m.
Bears don’t kill people….
tobiasg on September 23 at 5:47 p.m.
Just as I would have more respect than to cheer for someone’s death (as we recently witnessed during a GOP debate), this ilwas tragic and I have sympathy for everyone involved and their families.
Kivaari on September 23 at 6:02 p.m.
BlondeSquawker, Tell that to the people killed this year in Montana and Wyoming. Tell that to the bear whisperer and his girl friend in Alsaka. Even his death turned into a TV show.
BlondeSquawker on September 23 at 6:09 p.m.
Oh, sorry there, Kivaari. I meant to say people don’t kill bears. My bad.
Squid on September 23 at 6:23 p.m.
MisJ, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RVDQgVxprE ????
misjustice on September 23 at 6:40 p.m.
Bite me Kalimari; I served and was honorably discharged from the US Army. How ‘bout you? Other than bein’ an ex-cop from Cali how ‘bout your service to country? I am entitled to free speech even if I had never served my country in uniform; and that right flows from the Constitution, not from the barrel of a gun!
You post what you want to post, and I’ll do the same.
Live by the sword (loaded gun) die by the sword (loaded gun)…
richie on September 23 at 6:40 p.m.
Keep in mind this could have been a pass through shot with the bear on top. Imagine trying to shoot a bear that is mauling your friend to death, with a very high powered rifle at close range. If I am being mauled, I say take the shot no matter what. He could have been screaming for him to shoot. Nightmare scenario of the highest order. What would YOU do?
Squid on September 23 at 6:44 p.m.
Kalimari? Dat be squid! How inconsiderate!
Once again MisJ, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RVDQgVxprE ????
Kivaari on September 23 at 6:56 p.m.
Misjustice, I served in the US Navy in Vietnam and ARNGUS in peace time. Typical liberal. Your right to free speech isn’t derived from the Constitution. It is a natural right, God given. The libs don’t like the Constitution as it protects individuals from the Government types like Obummer.
Kivaari on September 23 at 7:02 p.m.
Squid, Misjustice was slamming me. She likes substituting Kalimari for Kivaari. Even though there is no relationship. You got swept up in her internet. She should have used a squid jig instead.
Kivaari on September 23 at 7:08 p.m.
Richie, You are right. BUT, the shooter needed to consider that.
Even a handgun bullet could have passed through and killed the hunter. There was too much wrong with the whole situation, and it just got much worse. A family member killed a deer, had the bullet pass through and kill his cousin. The survivor, never recovered, and lived a substance abusing life for another 30 years, never able to forgive himself. He died young as well.
misjustice on September 23 at 7:15 p.m.
Well, Kalimari is nicer than posting…, oh well, fergit about it…
You post what you want, and I’ll do the same.
Live by the loaded, cocked gun and die by the loaded, cocked gun…as it were. And these were “experienced” hunters?
Hate to think what coulda happened had they not been seasoned, experienced, hunters….YIKES!
misjustice on September 23 at 7:19 p.m.
Squid, what does Lowe/Costello have to do with the “experienced” hunters that shot each other?
I did love the subtitles though!
; )
Squid on September 23 at 7:19 p.m.
Yeah, I knew that, Kalimari. I was just sport fishing for MisJ, with a squid jig of my own. >>8)––––––-?\______/
Got skunked.
Squid on September 23 at 7:23 p.m.
Ooooh! I got a bite!
Just messin’ with ya, MisJ. Thought your posts lacked a little peace, love and understanding….. It’s a sad situation, and I feel for the hunters and their families.
ラドクリフ、マラソン
richie on September 23 at 7:31 p.m.
At that point, there probably wasn’t much time for considering. I was not there, but what would the choice be? Jump on it’s back? If I was in Mr. Stevenson’s boots, my dying thought would be to forgive young Mr. Bell for what he had to do. This kid has now paid for his mistake in shooting the bear in advance for the rest of his life. I say leave him alone.
Kivaari on September 23 at 7:36 p.m.
Misjustice, It is hard to be an experienced hunter at age 20.
I would say he had hunted a few times. Poor practice to shoot the wrong critter, poor practice to get mauled, and bad form to shoot another hunter.
idahocity on September 23 at 7:37 p.m.
this story just took a turn for the worst. what an awful action to have to live with.
misjustice on September 23 at 8:14 p.m.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/sep/17/family-recalls-hunter-killed-grizzly/
The link is where I’m gettin’ the “experienced” hunters bit…I didn’t make it up. I read it in the SR, so it must be true!
force_vector on September 23 at 8:56 p.m.
Who cares about “experience”? What does that have to do with the fact that seemingly a man attempted to end the mauling of another man by a grizzly bear by shooting it. Apparently, a round either penetrated both, or was errant and only hit the unintended target. Horrible situation that is beyond stupid little catch-phrases by the mindless, and laughter by the heartless. There are some on this site who should log-in less, and strive to be better human beings more.
BlondeSquawker on September 23 at 9:19 p.m.
This is just one reason I do not support the hunting of bears. They die hard. I met a man years ago who had his arm ripped off by a polar bear he thought was dead.
Al_Loysius on September 23 at 9:56 p.m.
KXLY reports that there is some indication that the shot may have deflected off the bear and hit the deceased.
I know people want to shoot off their opinions before all the facts are in, but how about everybody wait and cool their jets until the full forensic and autopsy report is done?
PlanB on September 23 at 10:03 p.m.
Sad and tragic for all involved. But it seems like dieing by gunshot is better that mauling by a grizzly. Unless there is more to the story, charges seem totally unwarranted.
greenlibertarian on September 23 at 10:05 p.m.
The VAST majority of hunters NEVER face such situations. But in the case of hunting black bear in GRIZ COUNTRY, you DAMN sure ought to be properly trained and prepared.
These guys were not, and one of them paid the ultimate price, sadly. That’s what happens.
Again, prayers for the victim’s loved ones and family. RIP, Mr. Stevenson.
Blurkers, commenters, dolts, LEARN a lesson. You don’t go into the habitat of one of God’s most awesome and fearsome creatures unless your head is screwed on straight, AND you are FULLY prepared.
whitewater509 on September 23 at 10:13 p.m.
Sad that an amazing animal is dead. Sad that an innocent man is dead. All because one person broke one of the most important rules in hunting. Was it worth it? Let’s hope that this will one day serve as a learning tool to other hunters of what not to do. What kind of person chooses to kill animals for any other purpose than to put meat in the freezer? Trophy hunters disgust me and in my opinion are missing the whole point of hunting in the first place.
BlondeSquawker on September 23 at 10:35 p.m.
whitewater509: unfortunately, people do eat bear meat.
BlondeSquawker on September 23 at 10:44 p.m.
http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/Bears_of_North_America/Black_Grizzly_ID/black_grizzly_id.html
-just sayin’
greenlibertarian on September 23 at 10:53 p.m.
Yeah, I’m sure many a family of Jr. bear hunters (the monster in the closet types) are forced to eat Daddy Great White Hunter’s gamey and grisly bear meat ya know, to celebrate the Great Hunt, and Daddy being gone for a week, lucky he came home alive.
“Experts say populations of grizzlies, which are listed as a threatened species and are federally protected, are on the rise in the area.”
Not so much anymore, the population on the US side is probably 30-40 max, and now at least two have been taken out.
Squid on September 23 at 11:03 p.m.
I have always heard that the best and sometimes the only way to tell the difference between a griz and a black bear, is the ears on the black are pointy and longer, and the griz ears are rounded and small. Dished face and hump are not always on a griz. A black bear or griz can be any color.
I’ve never seen a griz, except in Glacier and Yellowstone, and those don’t really count. Have seen tracks in the snow though, when they should have been sleeping.
New squid jig rig:
ララ8>–––––––––––––––––––––-?\______フ
Squid on September 23 at 11:05 p.m.
Most bear hunters make sausage from the meat, and it is actually pretty darn good. Had bear stew once, and it was very spicy, but good.
Squid on September 23 at 11:13 p.m.
And, bear tastes better if it’s been eating berries and grubs than if it was eating carrion, dog food, or dumpster diving…. Excess fat or tallow, is always gross on any wild game.
lovenidaho on September 23 at 11:16 p.m.
Mr. Bell did what any other hunter would do in that situation. He was trying to SAVE his friends life. For all you people who ‘think’ you know what you are talking about, Mr. Bell is a very experienced hunter spending much of his time in the woods. This story is horrible for all who are involved, and the people who find humor in this should feel ashamed. A man lost his life, and a 20 year old boy now has this on his shoulders. The life of a bear is NOT worth more than that of a man!
misjustice on September 24 at 7:31 a.m.
“The life of a bear is NOT worth more than that of a man!”
It depends on the man…