Cody sees the first bear incident of 2020 – and it was a serious one.
Last Friday around 10:47 a.m. – the first day of antler hunting season – the Park County Sheriff’s Office got a 911 call. 41-year-old Cody resident Spencer Smith was antler hunting in the East Painter Creek area, and was walking his four-wheeler when he encountered a grizzly bear. The bear attacked Spencer, giving him a severe neck injury. Park County Search and Rescue (SAR), the Park County Sheriff’s Office, Cody Regional Health Wilderness Response Team, Wyoming Game and Fish, and Guardian Flight were all immediately activated.
It was Game Warden Chris Queen who located the four-wheeler first, and found Smith nearby. By noon, Smith was aboard a Guardian helicopter making its way to St Vincent’s Hospital in Billings. Most of the Cody agencies who mobilized to respond we cancelled once the victim was found. At last report, Spencer Smith was alert and in stable condition.
Wyoming Game and Fish is now in charge of the investigation into the incident. Bears are in a state of heightened activity as they gather as much food as possible after their winter hibernation. Anyone in the outdoors is encouraged to use more caution and stay alert to avoid any dangerous wildlife encounters.
