A man who initially survived a bear attack by shooting at the charging bear later died due to a blood clot. Joe Pendry, aged 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele in British Columbia, Canada, when he encountered a bear and her two cubs on October 2. Despite putting up a fight by punching and biting the bear, Joe sustained severe injuries, including losing part of his scalp, a finger, and suffering broken bones.
Following the attack, Joe managed to call for help and was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital for multiple surgeries. The Conservation Officer Service confirmed that a dead grizzly bear found in the area was the one responsible for the attack. Joe’s wife mentioned that the bear had died from sepsis.
WildSafeBC, a non-profit organization, highlighted that grizzly bear encounters are rare but can turn fatal. In a separate incident, two hikers were seriously injured by a grizzly bear in the McGregor mount area northeast of Prince George. It is advised that individuals encountering bears stay calm, speak softly, and slowly back away while being prepared to use bear spray if needed.