According to a press release by Idaho Fish and Game, a hunter up in North Idaho had a serious case of mistaken identity—he thought he was shooting a black bear near Priest Lake on May 9th but accidentally took down a young female grizzly instead. Realizing his oops moment, he called it in right away. Props for honesty, but still… yikes.

This whole mix-up is a reminder that grizzlies do roam around parts of the Panhandle, and bear hunting isn’t the place for guesswork. Starting in 2025, Idaho’s making black bear hunters pass a bear ID test to help folks tell the difference between the two. Because color and size won’t cut it. Instead, look for the signature grizzly hump, big claws, and that stereotypical “I’ve had a rough day” face.

“[Idaho] Fish and Game regrets the loss of this grizzly bear and appreciates the hunter’s self-reporting and continued cooperation on the investigation.”

In the end, it underscores why knowing your bear facts matters—especially when the stakes are this high. Lesson of the day: if it has a hump, don’t pull the trigger and hope for the best.

Feature photo credit: Jillian Cooper from Getty Images