Hunter seriously injured in bear attack south of Cochrane now in stable condition: EMS

An Alberta community is rallying in support of a local hockey coach who was critically injured by a grizzly bear while hunting west of Calgary.

A hunter critically injured in a grizzly bear attack south of Cochrane on Thursday has been identified as Jesse Sayer, a well-known coach and volunteer with the Carstairs Minor Hockey Association.

Sayer remains in hospital at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary after being airlifted by a STARS helicopter from a rural area along Township Road 242.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers have since cordoned off the site for investigation.

Officials confirmed to CTV News that the attack occurred around 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The bear was shot by Sayer’s hunting partner and is believed to be dead, while a second bear fled the scene.

Officers plan to collect DNA samples from the victim to confirm the animal’s identity and determine what led to the encounter.

The Carstairs Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) released a statement Friday confirming Sayer’s identity and rallying support for his recovery.

“Our hockey community has been deeply impacted by the recent bear attack involving Jesse Sayer—a beloved coach, volunteer and vice-president of Carstairs Minor Hockey,” the association said.

“We are incredibly thankful that Jesse survived and remains in good spirits as he begins a long road to recovery.

“The Sayer family has given countless hours to both the Carstairs Minor Hockey Association and the Renegades Minor Hockey Association—and now it’s our turn to rally around them.”

The CMHA added that donations can be made through e-transfer to [e-mail] or directly to CMHA president Chris Atchison.

“Please join us in sending love, prayers and strength to Jesse and his family. We can’t wait to see Jesse back on the ice when he’s ready,” the association said.

EMS confirmed on Friday that Sayer is now in non-life-threatening condition but that he was in serious condition when he was taken to hospital.

Awareness urged as grizzlies reclaim habitat

Bear safety educator Kim Titchener, founder of Bear Safety and More, called the recent mauling “devastating” and said it highlights how grizzlies are returning to areas where many Albertans don’t expect them.

“It just feels like one attack after another, and I think for Albertans, it does make it pretty scary,” Titchener said.

The news of this most recent attack comes after a B.C. hunter, 63-year-old Joe Pendry, died from a blood clot while recovering from a grizzly bear attack.

Pendry was hunting for elk in the Fort Steele area when he came across a sow and her cubs.

He shot at, punched and bit the bear in his fight for survival.

Titchener said attacks are becoming more common as grizzlies expand back into historic ranges after being pushed west for decades.

“When Europeans arrived, there were grizzly bears across the province,” she said.

“They were killed off, lost habitat and were pushed into the foothills and the Rocky Mountains. Since then, populations have improved in some areas, and as they increase, they’re going to expand out into former ranges.”

Titchener said sightings near Didsbury and on the outskirts of Calgary show “we are living in grizzly bear habitat.”

She urged hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to carry bear spray, travel in groups, make noise and leash their dogs.

“We don’t generally see bear attacks when people are in groups of four or more,” she said.

“Dogs need to be on a leash. We’re seeing more Canadians and Americans getting mauled because their dog runs up on a bear and brings the bear back.”

Titchener added, “Is the answer to just kill all of the animals? Not really. The answer is for human beings to learn how to manage themselves in these environments. We need to learn to coexist.”

Wildlife biologist Everett Hanna of Lethbridge Polytechnic said grizzlies historically lived on the plains and grasslands, not just in the mountains.

“It’s not surprising to have grizzly bears in that kind of place,” Hanna said.

He said the increase in sightings doesn’t necessarily mean populations are booming, but rather that bears are recolonizing suitable areas.

“We have to remember these animals are just doing what they’ve always done,” Hanna said.

“They’re following food, and in the fall that might mean moving down into the prairies where there are carcasses, grain spills or other attractants.”

Nearby ranch worker reflects on close encounter

Just a few kilometres from where the attack happened, Adrien Ortt, an equine body worker at Eagle Feather Riding, said she noticed a helicopter flying unusually low on Friday.

“I was working at the ranch just next door, and I’m used to seeing all the different helicopters and planes that come by,” Ortt said.

“But yesterday we had a really low-flying chopper that was especially loud, and you could tell it was one of the STARS helicopters.”

She said she later learned it was responding to a grizzly bear attack nearby.

“Obviously, it’s super unfortunate that it happened, and I’m very happy that the person is okay,” she said.

“I also think about the encroachment of the human population on wild spaces. When we enter the forest, we enter the food chain again, and we have to be stewards of the land that we enter.”

Ortt said she supports hunting but believes it comes with responsibility.

“We have to remain vigilant in those spaces,” she said.

While saddened the bear had to be destroyed, she understands the decision and said she isn’t concerned for the ranch’s large herd of horses, which tend to deter predators by moving together.

Province urges caution

Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen called the attack “a pretty serious incident” and said the government’s thoughts are with the victim.

“Our hearts go out to the person that was injured in this incident, and we hope he’ll make a full recovery,” Loewen said.

He said grizzlies are increasingly being spotted in areas where they haven’t been seen in more than a century.

“We’ve seen grizzlies way out into the prairies,” he said.

“They’re getting really close to Calgary, Cochrane, all along the foothills into southern Alberta. Even up into the Peace Country, the core farmland was never considered grizzly bear area, and it is now, too.”

Loewen said public education remains the province’s top focus.

“We’ve got to make sure people know they can encounter grizzly bears virtually anywhere in the province now,” he said.

“We just have to be extremely cautious. Even myself—this morning, I went for a walk, and when I came back there were grizzly tracks on top of mine.”

He said Alberta’s grizzly bear recovery plan has been in place for more than a decade and has worked to rebuild populations.

“The grizzly population is growing and spreading, and I don’t know if we’ve really decided what success looks like,” Loewen said.

“Maybe this is it—but now we need to determine what the plan is going forward.”