The entrance to the Pine Lake Campground. Photo Courtesy of CKRW.
Whitehorse, YT – Yukon Conservation Officer Services and Yukon Parks responded to a bear incident at the Pine Lake Campground over the weekend that resulted in a closure of the campsite.
One person is receiving medical attention following the incident.
Late Sunday night and early Monday morning campers reported witnessing several conservation officer trucks and were told to evacuate as the officers responded to the incident.
Matthew Hitchcock, who works at CKRW, was at Pine Lake Campground when he heard two consecutive gunshots at around 10:30 on Sunday night.
“We had two consecutive quite rapid gunshots that sounded like a shotgun and I assumed it must have been for a bear. I don’t think there’s any other reason why you’d hear a gunshot,” said Hitchcock. “I really didn’t think anything else of it.”
Shortly after a conservation officer told him that a bear had mauled a person and that everyone would have to leave the campground.
Conservation officers said they have located and removed the bears matching the description of those involved in the incident but folks are still encouraged to stay clear of the area now.
The Pine Lake Campground and surrounding trails remain closed while officers investigate.
This article has been updated with Matthew Hitchcock’s brief first-hand account.
