PRIEST LAKE, Idaho – Idaho Fish and Game stressed the importance of proper bear identification after a young female grizzly was mistakenly shot dead by a hunter in Bonner County, the agency said in a release.
Officers said the hunter, who mistook the grizzly for a black bear in the Priest Lake area, self-reported the incident on May 8 to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline.
Idaho Fish and Game requires hunters to pass a mandatory bear identification test as grizzlies are protected by state and federal law.
Physical characteristics such as short, rounded ears, a dished facial profile, a prominent shoulder hump and long claws help distinguish grizzlies from black bears.
The agency said it appreciates the hunter’s prompt reporting and cooperation.
