LIBBY — A forensic study of blood on the bullet that killed a 39-year-old Nevada bear hunter in northern Lincoln County has found DNA evidence that the bullet first passed through a grizzly bear before hitting the hunter.

 Steve Stevenson, 39, of Winnemucca, Nev., died Sept. 16 fighting a wounded grizzly bear that hunting partner Ty Bell, 20, also of Winnemucca, mistakenly had shot thinking it was a black bear.

Initially, it was believed Stevenson died as a result of the mauling from the 400-pound bear. Later it was determined that Stevenson was killed by the .30-06 bullet fired by Bell as he tried to save his companion from the grizzly.

Recently released tests — done at the urging of Department of the Interior — found grizzly bear DNA on the bullet that killed Stevenson, meaning the bullet first went through the bear before killing Stevenson. An autopsy recovered the bullet from Stevenson.

“It’s a horribly tragic accident,” Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said recently in releasing the information.

“It started off with a single misjudgment and ended up in a horrific act that will affect families for a very long time,” Bowe said, confirming the cause of Stevenson’s death as a gunshot wound to his upper torso.

Bowe said he did not expect charges to be filed against Bell.

“While we don’t expect charges, that’s not up to me,” Bowe said. “We’ll forward this up to [Lincoln County Attorney] Bernie Cassidy.”

Bowe said the bullet that killed Stevenson was fired from Bell’s Winchester Model 70 .30-06 rifle.

“We also know Bell picked up Stevenson’s gun, because his was empty, and fired more shots at the bear,” Bowe said of Stevenson’s Remington .30-06 rifle. 

Bell and Stevenson were hunting in the remote, rugged Purcell Mountains that straddle northeastern Idaho and Northwest Montana.

Bell had shot and wounded what he thought was a black bear (hunting grizzlies is illegal).

The two followed a blood trail into a thick, brushy area where the bear turned on them at close quarters.

Stevenson’s family has said he yelled at the bear to distract it and keep it from attacking Bell. When it instead went after Stevenson, Bell fired multiple shots trying to kill the animal.

The bear also died in the encounter.