So what happens if you shoot a grizzly in self defense?
Postoak,
Even when it is very clear what happened, the investigation can drag out for a long time and you can remain in limbo with a pending federal charge for an uncomfortable period. Penalties are very stiff with jail time and fines if you are found guilty of anything except self defense. A friend had a very clear-cut case of an incoming bear, shot at something like 25 feet - with a very lucky shot I might add. There were clear tracks in the snow of exactly what happened. He waited
2 years to learn his fate. They did find him justified. 2 years is a long time to wait. Once it goes to the Federal Prosecutor, it is just in the system until it comes out the other side.
As far as keeping any bear parts as souvenir, that will certainly get you arrested if you try it. There was a self defense killing one year that involved a mother and cubs. The killing was reported as required, but the carcass was left in place unchaperoned until investigators got to it. When they arrived the claws were missing. The investigators were hot on finding out who took the claws. I never heard if they found who had them, but there was going to be a serious federal charge on that action. No one gets to keep any grizzly bear parts outside of those taken in AK and Canada.
We all hope we will never face the need to shoot, and
really don't want to have a federal investigation because we did. With grizzlies still listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, it is just not worth getting involved with them if it can be avoided.
