Wyoming wildlife officials search for grizzly shot by hunter

Wildlife officials are looking for a grizzly bear that was shot and wounded when a hunter said it charged him in northern Wyoming.

The Cody Enterprise reports that the bear charged Tev Kelley and his hunting partner Scott Smith Oct. 6 while they were field dressing an elk Smith had just shot.

Kelley first fired his .45 handgun at a log as a warning shot before shooting the bear.

Kelley says the bear began to bleed and rolled downhill before getting up and staggering away.

Kelley said he chose to bring his handgun into the woods instead of bear spray because the gun is a more reliable means of protection.

The Wyoming Game & Fish Department is continuing to search for the wounded bear.