On September 17, a nonresident (Montana) hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear that he mistook for a black bear. He was hunting in Idaho’s Panhandle near the Canadian border (Smith Creek). After identifying the bear as a grizzly at the scene, the hunter contacted Fish and Game and is cooperating with the investigation.
Grizzly bears are protected under State and Federal law, and Fish and Game reminds hunters that grizzly bears may be encountered in northern Idaho and in the Greater Yellowstone area. Black bear hunters are responsible for proper identification of their target. Fish and Game’s web site provides training to hone hunter’s bear identification skills: https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/bear-info/overview .