Man injured by grizzly bear while working in Wyoming forest

LANDER, Wyo. (AP) — A man working in a remote Wyoming forest was injured in a surprise encounter with a grizzly bear and flown to a hospital for treatment, state officials said.

The attack occurred over the weekend in the Shoshone National Forest northwest of Dubois. The man was doing survey work in a creek drainage when he came upon the bear at close range, said Breanna Ball with Wyoming's Game and Fish Department.

The attack happened too quickly for the man to use the bear spray that he was carrying to deter bears, Ball said. He instead dropped to the ground, covered his head and did not fight, which officials said was the best possible response.

The victim was able to leave the scene and call 911. Ball declined to release further details on his injuries.

Game wardens planned no action against the bear because the attack was defensive in nature.

There are two to three encounters with bears annually in Wyoming in which people are injured, Ball said.

A grizzly killed a woman in southwestern Montana last month when she came upon the animal and at least one cub while she was running or hiking on a trail near Yellowstone National Park.