Grizzly hunter shot by guide, widow to sue

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"The widow of an American man shot dead by a guide during a grizzly hunt in central B.C. has won the right to sue the outfitter that organized the expedition..."

"The night before he was killed, Cooper shot and injured a grizzly, but it disappeared into the darkness before he could track it, according to court documents..."

"When Cooper located the animal the next morning, it charged at him and the two guides accompanying him opened fire at the wounded bear. One of the bullets struck Cooper instead. No one was charged in his death."

:eek:

https://ca.yahoo.com/news/widow-grizzly-hunter-shot-guide-003053679.html
 
Typical American behavior, sue sue sue. I feel bad for the guide considering he was likely doing everything in his power to stop a charging bear.
 
Swami said:
Typical American behavior, sue sue sue. I feel bad for the guide considering he was likely doing everything in his power to stop a charging bear.
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And that is why he will likely be acquitted. But at the end of the day, civil suits aren't to establish wrongdoing, they are to compensate for damages. Damages usually paid for by insurance companies.
 
Swami said:
Typical American behavior, sue sue sue. I feel bad for the guide considering he was likely doing everything in his power to stop a charging bear.
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No offence to you but I wonder if you'd say the same if the dead was someone in your family (son, father). Someone killed a person without any consequences.
 
rkr said:
No offence to you but I wonder if you'd say the same if the dead was someone in your family (son, father). Someone killed a person without any consequences.
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None taken. It wouldn't change my thoughts one bit. I would obviously be grieving but in the end I would likely ask to meet the guy and tell him face to face not to blame himself. Likely not everyone's initial reaction but it's the ex soldier in me knowing the damage people can do to their mental state blaming themselves for a pure accident for the rest of their lives.
 
Terrible situation

As never being on a dangerous game guided hunt myself, are these scenarios discussed beforehand with the guide and the hunter?
 
rkr said:
No offence to you but I wonder if you'd say the same if the dead was someone in your family (son, father). Someone killed a person without any consequences.
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Hey, it was an accident that happened under the best of intentions, can't fault someone for that. Bear maulings aren't pleasant either.

Grizz
 
mikeelliot said:
Terrible situation

As never being on a dangerous game guided hunt myself, are these scenarios discussed beforehand with the guide and the hunter?
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They should be discussed. I always had a talk about my expectations in a wounded bear tracking scenario, as to where I wanted the client positioned and how to carry their rifle, also where exactly I will be in relation to them and what I will be doing in an attack scenario... unfortunately even with everyone's role fully and clearly understood, nobody has prepped the bear, and they can come from any angle at the most inopportune time, when the terrain and footing is not conducive to a gymnastic-like response.

I would bet that the guide lost his footing in trying to get to a proper angle to stop the bear... been there, done that... the result worked out for me, but I have to acknowledge a healthy dose of good "luck"... or I could have just as easily been the unfortunate guide in this story... I doubt that he was simply "careless" or "negligent." The way the scene played out was likely chaotic.
 
hoytcanon said:
They should be discussed. I always had a talk about my expectations in a wounded bear tracking scenario, as to where I wanted the client positioned and how to carry their rifle, also where exactly I will be in relation to them and what I will be doing in an attack scenario... unfortunately even with everyone's role fully and clearly understood, nobody has prepped the bear, and they can come from any angle at the most inopportune time, when the terrain and footing is not conducive to a gymnastic-like response.

I would bet that the guide lost his footing in trying to get to a proper angle to stop the bear... been there, done that... the result worked out for me, but I have to acknowledge a healthy dose of good "luck"... or I could have just as easily been the unfortunate guide in this story... I doubt that he was simply "careless" or "negligent." The way the scene played out was likely chaotic.
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Appreciate the reply, again not trying to blame the guide, was more curious for myself how those conversations take place between guide and client.

I’m sure it happened in a split second
 
This thread reminds me of reading another on here not long ago about a Polar bear that killed some students while accompanied by a incompetent guide. Sure accidents happen, but gets me wondering about what all kind of "Guides" are out there
 
Reminds me of the video of the wounded Cape Buffalo charge where the hunter or guide, can’t recall which fired his gun and the bullet struck the top of the head on the thickest part of the horn and the bullet ricocheted back taking the shooter out with a hit to the chest from a 500 grainer. Not something you would exoect to happen either but unfortunstely #### can and does go wrong and especially in hard to control situations. I am sure the guides were doing their best to keep safe all concerned. Sad situation. I feel for everyone involved and also saddened that societys answer to everything is throw money on it to make it better?! :(

They could not pay me enough to guide again and I only did a couple seasonal stints as a dog handler on a pheasant farm but in that time I was swept by more muzzles than I could begin to count. Never again!
 
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The point has already been made. It was a GRIZZLY hunt and the CLIENT wounded a bear. Follow up turned into a rodeo and the CLIENT didnt make it. It is sad but its an inherent risk when out hunting GRIZZLIES.

The widow is a turd for suing if there isnt anything extenuating. Her husband made his choice.
 
There was a waiver signed the previous year, but was out-dated and poorly worded according to the judge who rejected it.

The defendants have denied responsibility. In Wistaria's statement of defence, the company says Cooper failed to heed his guides' warnings and approached the wounded grizzly when he should have known it wasn't safe.
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Sounds like the guides (x2) tried to stop him.
Shootings, even those occurring on hunting trips, don't go in-investigated in Canada.
Since there were no criminal charges (not even a careless discharge etc), I'm guessing there was no negligence / incompetence found on the part of the guides.
 
An unfortunate chain of events. Possible that the lawsuit followed when the insurance company refused to pay the claim on his life - they don't cover high risk activities(?).

Another fatality that occurred 3 years ago on a guided hunt. In this case the client had just downed a Moose when a Grizzly appeared, attacked the client and killed him. The guide was unhurt.

"...They (Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources) say it is up to guides to train hunters on how to be safe while out hunting."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/grizzly-victim-identified-as-kenton-novotny-of-tennessee-1.2774287

This victim also left behind a widow. The insurance company likely paid out the claim on his life because there doesn't seem to be any subsequent news about a lawsuit. Or maybe the lawsuit is still in the works.
 
The way I see you don't hunt grizz or even go to grizz areas without understanding there is risk, it was the hunter that failed to make a kill shot that put in motion a chain of effects which are unfortunate but unless you have truly been in a similar situation you will not understand how this could easily happen. It gets real and fast. Unfortunately almost guaranteed there will be no one in the court room that will understand. In my younger years I guided in northeast bc and dealt with more than one hunters mistakes. The only thing I have done different is leave the hunter to cover while I looked for the bear however that is technically illegal....
 
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