Grizzly involved in fatal bike incident alive, free
There was no attempt made to capture the grizzly bear responsible for the death of Forest Service law enforcement officer Brad Treat.
Given the evidence gathered at the scene, the bear appeared to have acted defensively.
The specific bear involved was identified by 12 hair and swab samples obtained from the victim and the victim’s bicycle helmet. The bear has no previous history of human conflict and is estimated to be between 18-20 years old.
DNA samples collected in research study areas since 2009 detected the bear five times in the general area of the incident.
On June 29, 2016, Treat collided with the bear after rounding a blind turn on his mountain bike. Treat was estimated to be traveling 20-25 miles per hour and evidence indicates he made no attempt at evasive steering or breaking. Investigators believe Treat did not see the bear in time to react.
Bike collision with grizzly cause of fatal encounter
The evening of the day of the incident, a sheriff’s deputy reported being charged by a bear while he posted area closure signs on a gate. The report prompted Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials to set two culvert traps and remote cameras in the area where the charge was described.
The day after the incident, FWP Grizzly Bear Specialist Tim Manley made a helicopter flight with a forward looking infrared camera over the area to look for bears. None was located.
That afternoon, Manley opted to move one of the culvert traps to the location of the fatal encounter and the other culvert trap to east toward a meadow where a medical helicopter crew reported seeing a bear the day of the incident.
However, after further discussion with the sheriff’s deputy, it was determined that the reported bear charge never happened.
Based on the autopsy report indicating Treat had collided with the bear and not because no evidence of bears was captured by traps or cameras in the area, FWP made the decision to remove traps and cameras from the area July 1.
Several reports of bear activity were received on the day of the incident.
As Manley reported to the incident site, he spotted a large grizzly footprint in the mud approximately a quarter-mile from where the fatal encounter occurred. The track was fresh and indicated the bear was traveling in the direction of the incident site. The report indicates the print could belong to the bear involved in Treat’s death.
A report was received from Swan River Outfitters, which described a black-colored grizzly with white on its face charging a group of their riders in the afternoon. The riders said the bear was spotted 40 yards ahead of them, charged within six feet and then veered left while making noises and snapping its teeth.
The lead rider estimated this incident occurred approximately 800 yards from where the fatal encounter occurred.
The second report came from the Kalispell Medical ALERT helicopter who said they saw a bear in an open-area of the forest about a half-mile from where the incident occurred. The bear was spotted while the crew was responding to the scene. They reported the bear to be light-brown in color.
At 8:20 p.m. on the evening of the incident, a BNSF railroad employee reported seeing a yearling grizzly in West Glacier cross the railroad tracks and run up a hillside.
The day following the incident, a woman reported seeing a “big black-colored bear” near her driveway, approximately 1.5 miles from the incident location across Highway 2.
The area where the fatal incident occurred is used extensively by both grizzly and black bears in the spring, summer and fall. DNA samples collected within a three-mile radius of the incident site during a 1998-2011 U.S. Geological Services study identified six different male and three different female grizzlies in the area.
More recently, between 1999 and 2016, five radio-collared males and five radio-collared female grizzlies were located within a three-mile radius of the incident site.
Follow Tribune Outdoors reporter Sarah Dettmer on Twitter @GFTrib_SDettmer