Bear Maulings

[CruiseIsGood]

I just saw the CNN report on the woman who was recently mauled in Canada. She was planting trees and heard a noise--turned around and was staring a standard size black bear in the eyes. Never a good thing to do with bears. It immediately attacked and she was bitten all over her body and had most of her scalp removed. She survived--she emptied a can of bear repellent on it, which didn't work, and then bonked it hard on the nose with the can, which did.

 

A jogger this year was not so lucky with a grizzly. She's dead.

 

Bears are not cute and cuddly, even the 'even tempered' blacks, so remember to take precautions.

[Bob7]

Yup you're right. The lady jogger was with 2 other joggers (in Alberta), and the 2 decided to back away from the bear while she decided to climb a tree. So the grizzly got her out of the tree and killed her. When help arrived the bear was still over the body, and was shot.

Pepper spray comes in 2 strengths, the 10 percent stuff is called Pepper Spray, and is what our cops use. There is also 85 percent stuff that is labelled Bear Spray. I guess bears are tougher than bank robbers. In Canada we can buy a can of Bear Spray about the size of a large hair spray can for $40, but it's classified as a weapon and they take your ID info. However, it's not strong enough to stop cruisers heading for the buffet.

-Bob

[CruiseIsGood]

Interesting tree info. I've heard on all three trips that the color does not always correspond, so the way to tell a black bear from a brown bear is to climb a tree. If it's a black bear, it'll climb up after you. If it's a brown bear, it'll knock over the tree. ;)

 

Standard advice though is stand up tall, make noise, do not run and do not make eye contact.

[Bob7]

Yes, basically you have to act like a crazy person.

Did you see the documentary a while ago about the Canadian woodsman who was attacked by a grizzly, might have been a Kodiak, it knocked him down, and he pulled out 2 knives, thought he was a gonner, and started yelling, cursing, waving his knives around, and the bear ambled off and left him. So he built a "bear suit" to withstand a grizzly bear attack, looked like an astronaut (all us Canuks arren't that crazy). It was able to cushion a pickup truck hitting him at 20 mph, and a tree being swung around by ropes and hitting him in the head. He wanted to know what it would be like to be in a grizzly bear fight but not get hurt.

They went out and planted food/bait for a grizzly, and he was going to walk in and bug the grizzly over the kill to start a fight, but the bear they were tracking didn't come near the kill, and they couldn't locate another one in their time frame, so it never happened. He does nature presentations in the schools.

Hey we could try that bear suit idea on our cruise!

-Bob

[elleluv]

Interesting tree info. I've heard on all three trips that the color does not always correspond, so the way to tell a black bear from a brown bear is to climb a tree. If it's a black bear, it'll climb up after you. If it's a brown bear, it'll knock over the tree. ;)

 

Standard advice though is stand up tall, make noise, do not run and do not make eye contact.

 

Too funny..... and exactly right :)

It's also a good idea to let any bears know you are there if you are hiking. Make noise as you are walking, talk to your hiking mates. The bears really don't really want to see you any more than you want to see them, so if they know you're coming you probably won't see them.

[Gypsea]

a 1600 pound grizzly was recently killed in Alaska. He held the answer to the mystery of what become of a missing hiker and another person as well. I don't know if it is true. I am certainly rethinking my jogging plans!

[Nanner]

The Saturday before we were in Denali (I think that would be May 29) a woman was attacked and a grizzly got her ankle. Apparently she made the mistake of running, but her husband was able to get the bear to let go. The Tundra Tour guide said they were off the trail, which if true is another no-no in bear country.

 

The day before we visited Exit Glacier the trail was closed as a black bear had killed a moose and you do *not* want to interrupt a bear when it's eating. The day we were there they had spotted a bear on the main trail, but it was open. Guess they removed what was left of the moose by then. You can bet most of us walking the trail were talking, singing and whistling and travelling in groups!

[danielle24]

the person at denail told us to stand straight up and yell at the bear saying go away. she said don't run because that would make the bear get you

[CruiseIsGood]

If you run they think you're prey. If you stare them in the eyes they think you're challenging. If you make noise and stand up straight they just think you're another omnivore going about your business--which you are! :)

[Bob7]

Maybe the "load" in my pants would be enough to make the bear leave.

[peggyy]

I'm trying to imagine myself face to face with a bear looking a bit away from the eyes, totally in control, singing and doing the macarena. May this never happen but good advice if it ever does.

[SF]

Are most sightings of bears when people are out walking the trails or do you see them when driving also? I think I'd freak if we see one on the side of the road when driving to Emerald Lake!!!!!! :eek:

[Nanner]

We had a black bear mom and cub walk across the road in front of our tour bus one day. It was a great sight, and I would be happier to see them from inside a car than next to me on the trail!

[KyBuckeye]

Gee we are signed up for the Neets Bay bear excursion in late July. What do they do to keep you (us) safe? I'm taking hubby and 2 children ages 6 & 7 along on this and am now getting very nervous. Any advice?

[CruiseIsGood]

Bear watching expeditions are usually with an expert and usually from a platform, plus the added security of a group. Don't worry at all!

[danielle24]

when we where in denali on the bus there was a grizzle bear almost close to the bus. if me and my husban walk little more in the creek bed we would have been so close to the bear. i didn't see one close to the road i don't think they go by the road where there is a city in the morning or afternoon when there are people.

[greatam]

when we where in denali on the bus there was a grizzle bear almost close to the bus. if me and my husban walk little more in the creek bed we would have been so close to the bear. i didn't see one close to the road i don't think they go by the road where there is a city in the morning or afternoon when there are people.

 

I am amazed at these remarks. There are black bears all over the lower 48, especially in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Yes, they live by the roads (good reason not to throw out the last of your Mickey D's). Yes, they live in people's backyards (good reason to keep your pets inside) and yes, there are more and more bear/people encounters every year, however, most of those are black bear encounters and in the lower 48. Walk tall, talk loud, and DON'T RUN.

[Kenwoody]

Just return from our cruise. We did see a bear along the road to Emerald Lake, so watch for them. It was across from the 10 mile long Lake, forgot the name.

6 out of eight of us got out of the van to take pictures, I stayed in. He was eating grass along the bush edge. We followed him for a while, then he went into the bushes.

 

Then when we got to Carcross, the store keeper told us a 10 jeep caravan just witnessed a mom moose crossing the road. Thinking, the jeeps caught her off guard; she was a ways from her baby. Then out comes a bear and and takes the calf, in front of the jeep tour. Not a sight I would want to see.

 

Last month a wild black bear was caught a few mile from the Milwaukee, WI Zoo. Which was also 1 1/2 miles from our son's house.

[mbisson]

the person at denail told us to stand straight up and yell at the bear saying go away.

 

If the bears now understand English, maybe we can calmly and rationally explain our fears to them.

 

-Monte

[zachnlucy]

I personally like the idea of trying to teach the bear to do the Macarena with me.

[JamesW6175]

The following (first two) pictures are of a guy who works for the US ForestService in Alaska and his trophy bear. He was out deer hunting last week when a large grizzly bear charged him from about 50 yards away. The guy emptied his 7mm Magnum semi-automatic rifle into the bear and it dropped a few feet from him. The big bear was still alive so he reloaded and shot it several times in the head. The bear was just over one thousand six hundred pounds. It stood 12' 6" high at the shoulder, 14' to the top of his head. It's the largest grizzly bear ever recorded in the world. Of course, the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Commission did not let him keep it as a trophy, but the bear will be stuffed and mounted, and placed on display at the Anchorage airport (to remind tourist's of the risks involved when in the wild). Based on the contents of the bears stomach, the Fish and Wildlife Commission established the bear had killed at least two humans in the past 72 hours. His last meal was the unlucky nature buff in the third picture . The US Forest Service, backtracking from where the bear had originated, found the hiker's 38-caliber pistol emptied. Not far from the pistol was the remains of the hiker. The other body has not been found. Although the hiker fired six shots and managed to hit the grizzly with four shots (they ultimately found four 38 caliber slugs along with twelve 7mm slugs inside the bear's dead body), it only wounded the bear and probably angered it. The bear killed the hiker an estimated two days prior to the bear's own death by the gun of the Forest Service worker. Think about this - If you are an average size man; You would be level with the bear's belly button when he stood upright, the bear would look you in the eye when it walked on all fours! To give additional perspective, consider that this particular bear, standing on its hind legs, could walk up to an average single story house and look over the roof, or walk up to a two story house and look in the bedroom windows.

 



SORRY COULD NOT GET THE PICTURES

 

 

[tetleytea]

I think I want to tour Denali with this guy.

[JamesW6175]

See attachments dates on pictures are either in 2001 or 2002

[kennicott]

When traveling in bear country, which is often, I usually take a friend(s).

 

Normally, I take Smith and Wesson. However, when in hostile grizzly country or coastal brown bear environments, I take Winchester along.

[Bob7]

And it's good advice to be in a group, but maybe not the group where you are the slowest runner.