Grizzly Attack or Grizzlies Felt Attacked?

A photographer was mauled by a grizzly sow with cubs yesterday in Yellowstone. He is alive. He was also mauled years ago in Glacier doing the same thing. I know this is a terrible, terrible thing but I feel this Yellowstone incident could have been prevented. This guy was hiking ALONE, OFF-TRAIL to begin with IN PRIME GRIZZLY HABITAT. I am sure, as a photographer he was being quiet to get closer to the bears for a better picture. It is common sense plus posted all over the place to hike in groups, make a lot of noise, and stay on designated trails. And NEVER bother or surprise a mom with cubs! He was following along Trout Creek (the picture shows the sign and the view is south). The creek is in Hayden Valley which seems a vast, peacefully gentle place with streams winding streams, grazing buffalo and trees densely covering hills farther back westward. The closest trail is the Mary Mountain Trail 3-4 miles north of Trout Creek! I've only ever seen massive buffalo herds and coyotes out there, along with the one wolf that ran right by me one summer (right near the road of course). From the mileage given in the news report, the guy did not make it into the forested area, he was still out in the open valley when he the bear got him. I love a great bear picture as much as anyone but not enough to put myself at more risk than necessary. Stories like this put a bigger fear of bears into people. This area is clearly a place that the guy had no business being in to start with. I fear the person that knows what precautions to take and does not take them anyway-people like this are a danger to themselves, to any others that may be with them, and to the wildlife they are after for whatever reason. People do scary things.

And the Mary Mountain area is known for a high concentration of grizzlies. I believe in 2004, a summer Old Faithful employee was taking a hike on his day off across the Mary Mountain Trail when he was mauled by 2 grizzlies! He was attacked about 9pm in the evening when he should not have been on the trail and certainly not alone on it(it is designated as day use only-no overnight camping). Luckily, the bears "only" clawed him, bit his back, rolled him over and then left. What a nightmare! These have been the only 2 attacks in the Park in many years.

(Photo: Around Yellowstone Photo Gallery by Ray Pettit at pbase.com)