Black Bear attack near Dawson Creek leaves two women critically injured: RCMP

Two women have been left with life threatening injuries after being attacked by a black bear near Dawson Creek Monday night.

According to Dawson Creek RCMP, officers and paramedics were called to the Bear Mountain Cross Country Ski Club trails shortly before 7 p.m. to reports of the 30-year-old and 48-year-old victims being attacked and unaccounted for.

In a B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) Facebook post, the COS said a family of four was hiking along Wolverine Trail when they encountered a black bear who charged at the family.

“They turned to run and the bear chased after them. One woman was attacked by the bear, while another woman and teenage boy were also injured trying to help,” the COS said in the social media post.

About an hour after RCMP were called, Mounties say two officers on an off-road vehicle spotted two victims laying in a bush with a large boar black bear lingering nearby.

Mounties claim several attempts were made to scare the bear off, but it “would not leave the vicinity of the victims,” RCMP said in a news release.

“RCMP officers believed the bear to be guarding the victims, so discharged a rifle, striking the bear and killing it.”

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After the bear was shot and killed, the victims were then secured and transported out of the trail where they were handed off to paramedics, police say.

One victim was transported to a hospital in Edmonton while the other victim and teenage boy who tried to help the women were transported to hospital in Dawson Creek, according to the COS.

“At this time, both victims remain alive,” the RCMP release stated.

Mounties do not mention the teenage boy in their release.

The COS said officers remained at the attack site Tuesday, scouring the area for other bears.

“No additional bears were located during a sweep of the area. A necropsy will be conducted on the bear, an adult male, later [Tuesday].”

The area remains closed to the public.

Backcountry travellers are reminded to be “bear aware,” by RCMP and to travel in groups with noisemakers such as bells, to carry bear spray, and to avoid hiking at sunrise and sunset, when animals are most active.