That is so sad. Yeah, it's illegal, and no, it's not the wisest thing to do, but I understand why she did it. Bears are amazing, beautiful creatures. I can't say that I would feed them like she did, but I can say I understand. We often want to feel closer to nature, and our misguided attempts to do so will often backfire on us. I feel sorry for her family, and also for the bears in that area who will now be hunted as "murderers" because they reacted the only way that bears know how.

No matter how many times you tell people not to feed wildlife, they do it anyway. A lot of the gators down here swim right up to the dock looking for a handout cause they've been fed before. When that 5' gator becomes a 10 footer he's dangerous. It's the same thing with bears or any other wild animal.

It is a sad story but it does not surprise me. Some people just don't think that something like this can happen to them so they ignore the laws and warnings. Hopefully stories like these encourage others to avoid the same mistakes.

Here in Colorado we are seeing more and more problems with people. The bears? not so much. We have people in places like Steamboat Springs that fail to use bear proof trash containers and the see Back Alley Rambo's yank off shots at them http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/aug/06/charges_filed_bear_shooti...

And then we have folks like the misguided individual in the article who actually go out and feed wildlife. I can only hope that the legislature rectifies this problem by instituting greater fines and gives the CDOW more leeway in aggressively pursuing these reckless and idiotic individuals.

people need to learn if they want to help wildlife out then stop putting up so many freaking buildings so they have a place to hunt for there food

Deterioration of her intellectual faculties,and her daughter,who was aware of her mothers mental health, contributed to this sad ending of Donna Munson.

Donna Munson was not in a state of emotional and psychological well-being,and she was unable to use her cognitive and emotional capabilities, to function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of her everyday life.

Her daughter should be evaluated and questioned as to what she was thinking. This sounds like neglect,or perhaps an insurance policy contributed to the demise of this elderly lady.

I wonder if her daughter would have allowed her mother to carry a hand gun or drive a vehicle ...something about this story just doesn't sound right.

... and to kill the bear?
For what?
A bear being a bear!

Do not feed the bears. that sound familiar

I'm with Mike Diehl lets make up a treadwell award, Ha Ha that's some funny sh-- Mike. I think ole granny had a death wish though, maybe she poured gravy over head and the bears just couldn't take it anymore.

I can't tell you how many ladies around here want to rescue every animal around. My part of the country must be leading in this type of person. Their hearts are in the right place but it ends up with animal control people at their house with 100 cats and dogs starving.
I'm just spouting off but it's true, you can only do so much and let nature take it's course.

I suspect the old lady made of herself a "gift" to the Grizzlies, unconsciously. She is one with the wilderness now (if via bear scat). I second (or third)the motion for the Timothy Treadwell bear feeding award, Thank you Mike for the excellent suggestion.

Maybe this will help.
Wild animals generally "associate" human smell as something to be avoided.
When you feed these animals, even from a distance by leaving it somewhere, they begin to associate human smell with meal time. I don't think this is what we want.

I think because of her age she is automatically ruled out of the Darwin awards, but the Tim Treadwell that was a great one.

You really can't blame the bears for this. This is pure human stupidity. I mean this is why bears become un-afraid of humans. Hell, if i was her neighbor, I would be pissed. I mean I wish she could of learned her lesson a better way but I guess she died doing something she loved doing.

I feel bad for the family for losing a family member, regardless of the reason. But has the entire country lost their common sense, don't feed anything that has the potential to eat you! Just like these people that want to live with the bears, lions, etc. because they are so cute and cuddly; guess what you are on the menu! People are slower than the animals normal prey, don't have teeth/fangs, no claws, and we taste like chicken --figure it out!!

Actually the dear old bear feeding lady is a great example to us all and provides a solution to many current social issues today.
Everyone agrees that hand feeding grizzlies is stupid. We know from observation that stupidity is one of the great banes of humanity, killing and empoverishing many many human beings. Yet often people on different sides of social issues disagree wildly as to who is stupid and who is not. Bears offer a wonderful solution to the problem with their highly developed senses that allow bears to identify and home in on stupid people, eliminating the problem in a ecologically safe manner. Perhaps feeding (or not feeding) the bears could be one of those tests that gets administered...
Pick one...On encountering Grizzlies one might...
A, Feed grizzlies
B, Run screaming from grizzlies
C, Run screaming at grizzlies
D, Faint
E, Play Dead
F, Start singing the first song that pops into your head, while backing slowly away and not looking the bear in the eye.
G, Bring firearm to battery and commence firing PRN.
H, Carefully place claymore mine curved side towards the Bear. Backing away from the bear, unreel the detonator wires. Once at a safe distance, detonate claymore.
I, spray ones entire body with capsacin based bear deterrent.
J,Send call sign "Prairie Fire" to the FAC and provide co-ordinates for the ensuing airstrike.
K, Strip to your loincloth, begin drumming and doing your special Grizzly Dance, while imploring Brother Grizzly to impart his sacred wisdom. Eat the hallucinogenic mushrooms and expect the arrival of the Bear Spirit to tutor you in the mysteries.
L. Take photographs of your 3 year old with the cute live teddy. Look it is Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh in the Thousand acre Wood!
Some of these choices are stupid, others are simply insane, the advantage is that the bears will always accurately determine the stupid people if given the sightest chance. I would invite others to add their multiple choices to the "encountering bears stupidity index". The Timothy Treadwell bear feeding awards can use this standard evaluation tool for considering candidates for their proposed "One with the Wilderness award".

Sure we have to fault the women, not the bears in cases like this. Why wouldn't a bear kill with a meal dancing around 3 feet away with a piece of steak in one hand... although on the other side, I grive for the family. Its tough losing anybody