Montana Man Fined For Cutting Claws Off Killed Grizzly

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wanted us to update you on a case that has been lingering for some time.

A Marion, Montana, man will pay a $5,000 fine and serve three years probation after he cut the claws off of a grizzly bear he allegedly killed in self-defense. Federal documents indicate that Bryan Berg, 35, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor illegal transport of grizzly bear claws on Jan. 16. Court documents state he killed the bear in self-defense in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in September 2017.

He allegedly pushed the bear off a cliff, cut the bear claws off as a memento and then transported the claws to Washington state. A tip lead investigators to take a flight to where the bear was allegedly dumped and it was found, with its claws cut off. It was determined the bear died by gunshot.

The man claimed in an interview that he was so afraid the bear was going to kill him that he kept the claws as a souvenir and reminder of how fortunate he was to be alive.