https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/montana-fatality-water-safety/530129
The recent recovery of 82-year-old Alan Shaw’s body from the Bighorn River near Hardin has reignited concerns over river safety in Montana and neighboring Wyoming. Shaw was reported missing on July 26 after his boat capsized near Mallards Fishing Access. His companion survived the incident, but Shaw never resurfaced, prompting a multi-day search and eventual recovery operation.
The tragedy was compounded by a wave of misinformation that mistakenly linked Shaw’s death to another ongoing search effort in Wyoming. Social media speculation falsely identified Shaw as Grant Gardner, a 38-year-old Minnesota man who went missing while hiking in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. Gardner last contacted his wife after summiting Cloud Peak on July 29, describing the climb as “more taxing than expected.” Authorities have clarified that the two cases are unrelated and continue to search for Gardner in Big Horn County, Wyoming.
