Grizzly had killed bull elk, farmer says

ROSE LAKE, Idaho – The grizzly bear that was shot near Rose Lake this week had killed an elk on the Bugle Mountain Elk Farm, said owner Dave Riley. “It was kind of unusual because he attacked a mature bull elk with horns,” said Riley, who shot and killed the grizzly on Sunday night. Riley said the bear crawled underneath an 8-foot fence to attack the elk on Saturday. When the bear returned for the elk carcass at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, Riley said he shot it, thinking it was a black bear. Riley contacted the Idaho Department of Fish and Game when he realized that the bear was a federally protected grizzly. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the incident. Idaho law allows property owners to kill predators, including black bears, that are attacking livestock. However, people are responsible for identifying their target to avoid killing grizzlies. The grizzly was the first confirmed in the area for many decades.