A report of a woman attacked by a suspected black bear while running with her dogs on Forest Service property in the Cedar Flats area north of Columbia Falls was investigated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Forest Service personnel.

The attack occurred in the late morning on July 3. According to investigators, the bear ran out of the woods and attacked one of the dogs. The woman yelled at the bear and then lay on her side on the ground.

The bear charged her, biting her several times just above the hip. She was not carrying bear spray. The woman’s husband returned later to retrieve the dogs, which had run away and were injured.

The woman, who sustained several bites to the torso and head and claw wounds, was transported to North Valley Hospital.

Forest Service officials closed access to the area in the interest of public safety, and FWP’s Region 1 wildlife human attack response team was dispatched to the area to investigate the incident and capture the offending bear.

FWP was unable to capture the bear, and the trap was removed. FWP is not sure of the species or sex of the bear and if cubs were nearby. The Cedar Flats area was reopened on July 7.

“Running with dogs can be a potential hazard,” FWP bear and lion specialist Erik Wenum said. “A dog running off-leash can encounter a bear or other animal and potentially bring the bear back to the owner.”

Wenum added that all hikers or runners should carry bear pepper spray as a safety precaution.

“All of Northwest Montana is bear country,” Wenum said. “Besides carrying pepper spray, hikers should be aware of their surroundings at all times.”