Motorcycle Rider Injured in Idaho Highway Accident With a Bear

Motor vehicle accidents with wildlife in Idaho aren’t unheard of. We’ve shared stories of accidents with elk and deer. Many stories have focused on the number of racoons, birds, and other small critters that have been hit by cars, and the fact that in Idaho you can gather their meat for a meal.

But this may be the first time I’ve written about a motorcycle hitting a bear.

Idaho State Police Report Man on Motorcycle Injured in Accident With a Bear

The motorcycle vs bear accident happened on Wednesday, October 7th, around 5:37 PM. The biker was travelling along State Highway 31, also known as Pine Creek Road, about 7 miles north of Swan Valley. SH 31 is a rural highway running between Swan Valley and Victor.

The ISP report says that the bike was a 2016 Harley-Davidson driven by a 55-year-old man from Jackson Wyoming. He was headed north on the highway near mile marker 7 when he hit a bear.

He was not wearing a helmet and was taken by air ambulance to a local hospital. The report does not say what kind of bear and whether the bear stuck around after the accident or immediately ran off.

READ ALSO: Can You Legally Gather and Eat Roadkill in Idaho

Another motorcycle accident was also reported by the Idaho State Police on October 7th on the other side of the state in Boise County. A biker on a 2024 Hinda Goldwing towing a homemade trailer hauling another motorcycle lost control while travelling on State Highway 55 at mile marker 84.

The 78-year-old male rider was wearing a helmet and taken by Air St. Luke’s to a local hospital.

Both motorcycle accidents are being investigated by ISP.