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Smithers guide attacked by grizzly bear

The incident was deemed a “defensive attack” by conservation officers
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Liam Macdonald. (GoFundMe photo)

A Smithers guide was attacked by a grizzly bear while guiding some clients on hunt in the Telkwa mountain range at the end of September, Smithers conservation officer Flint Knibbs said.

Knibbs said the attack was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The guided happened to get a little two close to a mama bear with her two cubs.

The incident was deemed a “defensive attack” Knibbs said. “He was walking up one side [of the mountain] and the bears came up the other and they just met at the crest of a ridge line, Knibbs said.

“They ended up being very close by the time both parties saw each other.”

The bear attacked him as soon as it saw him. It knocked him and gave him “non-life threatening injuries.”

According to a gofundme page titled ‘Help for Liam Madonald and Family’ that guide appears to be Liam MacDonald.

The page said MacDonald suffered serious injuries after being surprised by mother grizzly bear with two cubs on Sept 22.

MacDonald did not respond to The Interior News request for comment.

According to the page MacDonald suffered, “a severed tricep, potential nerve damage on his dominant arm and lacerations on his hip and back.”

Knibbs said the majority of adverse encounters people have with bears is when neither party is aware of the other’s presence. He advised anyone going out into the wilderness to make a lot of noise.

“By making lots of noises it’s going to alert bears that you’re in the area and bears want to avoid conflict as much as people do,” Knibbs said. “Knowing that you’re there they’re going to go the other direction.”

The GoFundMe page is no longer accepting donations.