Bear euthanized after biting fireman

Idaho Fish and Game personnel trapped and euthanized a male black bear in the McCall area Wednesday, Sept. 2 that is believed to have bitten a sleeping firefighter on Tuesday night.

The firefighter was taken to the hospital, treated for minor wounds and released. The firefighter returned to work after being treated.

The bear was trapped within a half mile of the fire camp and matched the description of the one involved in the biting. Fish and Game will attempt a DNA test to see if it can confirm it was the same bear by taking saliva from the bear and matching it to saliva on the firefighter’s small tent, commonly known as a bivvy sack, that he was sleeping in when the bite occurred. However, it’s uncertain whether there will be enough DNA on bivvy sack to get a match.

Idaho Fish and Game had reports of a bear in the area raiding garages and causing property damage. Fish and Game personnel had set a trap prior to the bear biting the firefighter, but hadn’t been able to catch it.

Bear complaints are common in late summer and fall as the animals try to fatten up for winter. People can reduce bear conflicts by removing attractants, such as garbage, pet foods and bird feeders.

After a bear has been reported as a nuisance, Fish and Game personnel first try to remove the attractant. If a bear repeatedly causes problems and must be trapped, or it shows any signs of aggression toward humans, it will be euthanized.

“We have responded to several calls of bears in town in the McCall area, and most, if not all, can be attributed to the availability of food,” Fish and Game’s Southwest Region supervisor Scott Reinecker said.

Bears are common in the McCall area and throughout the state, and Fish and Game wants to keep them in the wild and feeding naturally.

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Information provided by Idaho Fish and Game.