A woman was hospitalized after a black bear attacked her on her family's rural property outside Cusick in Washington's Pend Oreille County, and state wildlife officers later killed a bear near the scene. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said the attack happened Sunday, Oct. 18, while the woman and her husband were searching for a bear he had shot with a crossbow the previous afternoon.

The woman was first treated at a local hospital and then transferred to a hospital in Spokane for continued treatment and monitoring. WDFW did not release her name or describe the extent of her injuries.

The case is a pointed reminder for the thousands of people in bear country this fall, from bowhunters in the Selkirks to hikers and rural homeowners in northeast Washington. A bear that has been wounded, startled and then confronted by a dog is in a very different state than one that wanders away from a hiker on a trail.

A Crossbow Shot, a Morning Search and an Attack Near Reynolds Creek Road

According to WDFW, the woman's spouse was lawfully hunting black bear on their private property off Reynolds Creek Road on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 17. He hit a bear with a crossbow, and the animal ran off.

The next morning, the couple went to look for it with their dog. They found the bear, which chased the dog and then attacked the woman. The couple drove immediately to the local hospital, and WDFW officers received reports of the incident from the hospital and the Washington State Patrol before 2 p.m. PDT that Sunday.

At about 3 p.m. PDT, WDFW officers, a U.S. Forest Service officer and a Kalispel Tribal officer responded and, with the help of dogs, located a black bear near where the attack occurred. "A WDFW Officer lethally removed the animal, due to the attack, nature of its injuries, and to ensure public safety," the agency said. The carcass was sent to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman for evaluation.

Wounded Animals and Dogs Change the Equation

WDFW has not said whether the bear officers killed was confirmed as the same animal hit by the crossbow, how long the couple waited before searching, or where the bear was struck. Those details matter, and the laboratory evaluation may answer some of them. What the agency's account does show is a chain of events that hunting educators repeatedly warn about.

Black bears usually avoid people. A wounded animal, however, may bed down nearby rather than run far — and searchers can walk right up on it. The NRA Hunters' Leadership Forum notes that bowhunters are generally advised to wait longer than rifle hunters before trailing an animal and warns that pushing a bedded, wounded animal can send it running or provoke a confrontation.

A loose or excited dog adds another trigger. In this case, WDFW said the bear went after the dog first — and then turned on the woman. That pattern is why the agency routinely tells hikers to leash pets in bear country, and it applies with even more force on a blood trail.

Rare but Not Unheard Of in Washington

Serious black bear attacks remain uncommon in the state. WDFW says Washington's only recorded fatal black bear attack on a human occurred in 1974, and that state authorities have documented more than 20 human-black bear encounters resulting in injury since 1970.

Fall raises the odds of contact. As bears fatten up before winter, they are drawn to garbage cans, pet and livestock feed, bird feeders, orchards and grills, WDFW said. Hunting seasons also put more people in the woods: fall black bear hunting runs into November in much of Washington under state rules that set dates by management unit, and hunters in many northeast Washington units must pass a bear identification test because grizzlies may also be present.

Rural households carry the heaviest everyday risk. Families who keep livestock, fruit trees or outdoor pet food near the house, and those living where homes back up to timber, are more likely to see bears on the property than city residents visiting a trailhead.

Safety Steps for Hunters, Hikers and Rural Households in Bear Country

WDFW's guidance starts with avoiding surprise encounters. "Don't run from a bear," the agency said. If a bear approaches, stand up, wave your arms above your head, speak in a low voice and back away while avoiding direct eye contact. Make noise while hiking, keep pets leashed and carry bear spray where you can reach it quickly, and practice using it before you need it.

For hunters, the lesson from Cusick is to slow down after the shot. Mark the spot, give the animal time, avoid trailing a possibly live bear alone, leave dogs secured unless they are trained tracking dogs under control, and keep bear spray in hand rather than in a pack. If the trail leads into thick cover or the sign suggests a poor hit, backing out and calling for experienced help is the safer choice.

At home, secure garbage, feed, and bird seed, and clean grills. Report a bear that is threatening people or property to WDFW, and call 911 if someone is injured or in immediate danger. BearWise offers additional resources for living with black bears.

What happens next depends on the laboratory evaluation, which could confirm the bear's injuries and whether it was the animal shot the day before. WDFW has not announced any enforcement action, and nothing in its statement suggests the hunt itself was unlawful. Nature World News will update this story if the agency releases more information.

The bottom line: black bear attacks in Washington are rare, but a wounded bear, a dog and a close-range search are a dangerous combination, and patience after the shot is the hunter's best protection.

What Readers Want to Know

What happened near Cusick?

A woman was attacked by a black bear on Oct. 18 while she and her husband searched their property for a bear he had shot with a crossbow the day before. The bear chased their dog, then attacked her.

What happened to the bear?

WDFW officers, with Forest Service and Kalispel Tribal officers, found a black bear near the scene and killed it. The carcass went to a state lab in Pullman for evaluation.

How is the woman doing?

She was treated locally and transferred to a Spokane hospital for continued care. Her condition has not been released.

How common are black bear attacks in Washington?

Rare. WDFW records one fatal attack in 1974, and more than 20 encounters causing injury since 1970.

What should I do if a black bear approaches me?

Do not run. Stand tall, wave your arms, talk in a low voice, and back away while avoiding eye contact. Have bear spray ready.

Should hunters bring dogs to track a wounded bear?

WDFW recommends leashing pets in bear country. Untrained or loose dogs can provoke a wounded bear, so many hunters rely on trained tracking dogs under control or experienced help instead.