Bear Attacks

[Hawg Rider]

I didn't want to hijack a thread in the "S&W Revolvers: 1980 to Present" section, so I will comment here in the "The Lounge". There was a recent thread in the above mentioned section titled "Does anybody really LIKE the 329PD?". Near the bottom of the thread Hondo44 discussed how he felt that the 329PD was one of the revolvers he thought would be great for defense against bear attacks. He included a link to a website that detailed 104 bear attacks that involved the use of handguns. I have great respect and admiration for Hondo44 and the article was interesting to read. What bothered me about the article was that a majority of the bear attacks, regardless of where they occurred, involved a bear sow and cubs. In almost every case the bear sow was killed and the cubs were left to fend for themselves. These are cases of humans injecting themselves into the bears' natural habitat (hunting, fishing, hiking, etc.) and bear sows protecting their cubs. Although I am not a big game hunter or trekker, and I am certainly not a tree hugger, I respect the rights of those who wish to hunt, fish, or hike in the wilderness. Those folks know that there is a possibility of a bear attack and most of them are well armed. It's just a shame that many of the bears that are killed during these human-bear encounters are just trying to survive in the wild and raise their cubs.

 

[Puller]

According to a quick google search around 11 people are killed by bears in North America each year. 76% of bear attacks are caused by human interference with bears.

Lightning kills on average 20 people per year in the United States.

So, we are twice as likely to be killed by lightning than by bears, and bear attacks are mostly avoidable.

 

[M29since14]

I agree with your sentiment. As far as the natural way of things goes, humans do have something of a genius for messing things up. I don’t know of any solution to your concern, other than keeping man out of the bears’ home.

 

[arjay]

The problem we have here is attracting them into the burbs with outdoor trash cans,bird feeders,etc,especially this time of year.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

A relative by marriage went Salmon fishing in Alaska. The photos show enough fisherman that there is one in every picture from any angle. There are enough bears out that they are in every picture, And yet nobody got attacked. (Good, watchful guides!)

My friends that are hikers that ran into bears on the trail have only encountered Black Bears. (That is why they are still alive to talk about it!) The also obeyed the warning notifications! Like "Trail Closed due to Bear activity in area!"

Stupid people win stupid prizes, but the bears get to pay the price in the long run!

If the African bears had ganged up on Lucy (the female human we all come from) and her friends, all those years ago. Maybe the bears would rule the world, and we would be in the zoo! But it seems opposable thumbs survive better than shear bulk and teeth!

Ivan

 

[Shark Bait]

I agree that it is sad when this happens, but I can't agree about humans injecting themselves into the bear's habitat. Human beings are of this planet too and shouldn't be restricted to cities. Many black bear attacks are perpetrated by young males seeking food. That is why you should not play dead if a black bear attacks. Provoking a bear is stupid, but preparing for an attack is good planning.

Staying Safe Around Bears - Bears (U.S. National Park Service)

 

[wood714]

Many black bear attacks are perpetrated by young males seeking food. That is why you should not play dead if a black bear attacks. Provoking a bear is stupid, but preparing for an attack is good planning.

Back when I was a kid we went to Smoky Mountains for a few days. Back then they had a lot of areas just off the road with picnic tables set up. We stopped at one and was about half way thru our lunch when a black bear decided to join us.

We just got up and walked to the car, and other than loosing half out lunch and littering. All was well.

I saw a video a couple days ago where people were hand feeding a black bear from a picnic table. Some people will do anything to get likes on social media.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[llowry61]

When there are human and wildlife interactions, unfortunately the wildlife generally loses. I am a hunter and am lucky that I don't live in bear country, so I have never had an interaction with a bear. If people would listen to wildlife experts about avoiding certain areas etc. I think there would be less of these incidents, but people don't listen, and the wildlife pay the price.

 

[OLDSTER]

Danger lurks around every bend.

 

[Rustyt1953]

In 1932 Jimmy Kennedy warned us:

"If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
If you go out in the woods today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home."

 

[Nevada Ed]

So what do you do with a bear that breaks into summer cabins in August
that cost $$$$ to replace the broken windows and damage done inside the homes?

When known to have eight (8) break ins in one area and a total of maybe 16 possible............

in a two moth period, what is the best thing to do with this bear, when caught?

 

[wood714]

So what do you do with a bear that breaks into summer cabins in August
that cost $$$$ to replace the broken windows and damage done inside the homes?

When known to have eight (8) break ins in one area and a total of maybe 16 possible............

in a two moth period, what is the best thing to do with this bear, when caught?

Heavy wood shutters?

 

[UncleEd]

Post signs:

BEARS NOT ALLOWED

 

[S42N8]

So what do you do with a bear that breaks into summer cabins in August
that cost $$$$ to replace the broken windows and damage done inside the homes?

When known to have eight (8) break ins in one area and a total of maybe 16 possible............

in a two moth period, what is the best thing to do with this bear, when caught?

Radio tag
Relocate to somewhere well free of humans
Track
If the bear returns to occupied areas, humanely kill

Second chances are good, specially when an animal is dealing with loss of habitat. When a large predator deliberately seeks humans, let the PETA crowd be the picket line.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Post signs:

BEARS NOT ALLOWED

Silverbacks get no love either.

 

[Bald1]

I’m just glad mom didn’t come up my ladder! She was probably 350lbs and had 4 cubs. That cub walked directly to my stand and up ladder like he’d done it a hundred times before. I took a 2 1/2 min video. Best day ever deer hunting and I never saw a deer.

 

[SAFireman]

Silverbacks get no love either.

Man oh man.....Lee is gonna be pissed!

 

[Eric300]

Got a trail cam pic last week of this rascal in Michigan U.P.

CRANK UP THE VOLUME
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT5kU-Ff0s0[/ame]

 

[Autonomous]

Bears that see humans as a non-threatening food source become (more) dangerous.
Life isn't fair, sometimes lethal measures are necessary.

 

[steelslaver]

In the 150 year history of Yellowstone park bears have killed 8 people, 1 more than falling trees (7). What is a good tree gun?

 

[Bald1]

In the 150 year history of Yellowstone park bears have killed 8 people, 1 more than falling trees (7). What is a good tree gun?

I would think something with a walnut stock.

 

[S42N8]

In the 150 year history of Yellowstone park bears have killed 8 people, 1 more than falling trees (7). What is a good tree gun?

A drilling gun.

And yes, I’m off to my corner now

 

[twodog max]

I live in black bear country. I would not have it any other way. Before I retired I was a wildlife biologist and in my 36 years I handled hundreds of bears for all sorts of reasons. Good and bad. Most problems I encountered were from people engaging in dumb activities around homes. Such as feeding bears then when it got out of hand expecting someone to fix their self created problem. Bad encounters with bears in the woods are most notable due to the rarity of these occurrences.
Don't do stupid stuff and the odds of problems with bears is very small.

 

[steelslaver]

Grizzly bears occasionally wander near where I live. I am more apt to run into one in a couple areas I hunt in. But, I am more apt to have a tree blow over on me or get ran over by a herd of elk or stomped by a moose. But, I am far and away more apt to be killed in a wreck on the way to camp than any of those. Ya, I carry a gun out in the sticks, usually a 45 colt, but as much for a close shot at game as anything.

My main concern about bears is right after a kill and retrieving it while in their nick of the woods. They know what hunting season is about and that a gun shot can mean a gut pile and some of them might not wait their turn at the dinner table

Now Yellowstone Park has about as high a concentration of Grizzlies as anywhere in the lower 48 it has a huge concentration of nit wits. Here are the odds there figured using actual events

Since 1979, Yellowstone has hosted over 118 million visits. During this time, 44 people were injured by grizzly bears in the park. For all park visitors combined, the chances of being injured by a grizzly bear are approximately 1 in 2.7 million visits. The risk is significantly lower for people who don't leave developed areas or roadsides, and higher for anyone hiking in the backcountry.

Type of Recreational Activity: Risk of Grizzly Bear Attack

Remain in developed areas, roadsides, and boardwalks:
1 in 59.5 million visits

Camp in roadside campgrounds:
1 in 26.6 million overnight stays

Camp in the backcountry:
1 in 1.7 million overnight stays

Hike in the backcountry:
1 in 232,613 person travel days

All park activities combined: 1 in 2.7 million visits

You far more apt to be violently attacked on a city street

 

[Private Bailey]

I’ve run across a few black bears over the years, hiking in the Smokies. And seen sign left by others. The last thing I need or want is to have one mad at me. These aren’t bears as portrayed in silly cartoons and stupid memes. They can seriously hurt you or kill you. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen often.

I think bears look at us the way we would look at someone trying to break into our house and harm our family. You might be having a picnic out in the woods or hiking and camping in the mountains. That’s all well and good. Just remember you’re in the bears’ house, not yours. Act like you have some sense.

 

[bigwheelzip]

So what do you do with a bear that breaks into summer cabins in August ...

We were winter camping in Denali National Park, when it was officially closed and the rangers had left for the season. The ranger cabins were "winterized" against the local grizzly bears using wooden shutters and doors, which were all fully "trimmed" at the edges with long framing nails, pointing outward.

I don't recall the method used to attach the nail borders, but nailing through 1x4, then screwing them around the edges of cabin openings seems about right.

This didn't stop the normal use of the openings, though you'd need to be careful entering.



Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[Nevada Ed]

We were winter camping in Denali National Park, when it was officially closed and the rangers had left for the season. The ranger cabins were "winterized" against the local grizzly bears using wooden shutters and doors, which were all fully "trimmed" at the edges with long framing nails, pointing outward.

I don't recall the method used to attach the nail borders, but nailing through 1x4, then screwing them around the edges of cabin openings seems about right.

This didn't stop the normal use of the openings, though you'd need to be careful entering.



Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

We had no problem when we used nail boards but......
the Forest Service told us to remove them.

Metal bars might be needed, since we don't want to have to
"shutter up" every time we leave the cabin for 5 -10 days, during the summer.

 

[5-Shot]

I’ve run across a few black bears over the years, hiking in the Smokies. And seen sign left by others. The last thing I need or want is to have one mad at me. These aren’t bears as portrayed in silly cartoons and stupid memes. They can seriously hurt you or kill you. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen often.

I agree totally agree with Private Bailey. For years my role model for black bears was Gentle Ben (remember him). That was changed a few years ago when we were visiting Peaks of Otter park in Virginia. We had finished dinner in the park lodge and were walking to our room. The walk way was a nice wide paved affair along the mountain side and about 50 yards below the parking lot. It detoured around a little woods of about 75 by 35 yards strung up and down the mountain side. We were beside the woods when I heard a crashing that sounded exactly like a tree falling. I look to see and was astonished to see an enormous black flying down the mountain side...far faster than I've ever seen a dog move. Then he pounced on a fawn that I hadn't noticed. He picked up and shook it side to side just like my terrier kills socks. It was the most raw violence I've ever seen. He then sat down and ripped chunks off the fawn while glaring at us from about 25 yards. I forever changed how I view bears!

Ed

 

[30-30remchester]

Interesting thread and response. Having lived most of my live in bear country, I have some different views. The one take away from this thread I total disagree with and is the prevailing view of the world now days, is that we are intruding on the wildlife's home and because of humans the poor critters must die. The human race has been around for at least 3 million years. We are not intruders. We are part of the world and just as much right to walk the forests and fields as any four-legged creature. I live in the edge of the forest and have experienced bears up close on many occasions. I would not trust a bear, mountain lion or wolf as far as I could throw one. Many people go hiking in the woods and are never seen again. There are reasons for that. For the crowd that think Yogi's are misunderstood, should go to YouTube and search for scary bear attack videos. A local man will be in one such episode. His name WAS Colin McCelland. He was sleeping in a camp trailer, so he was not offending or startling any bear. I saw the trailer afterwards and it was gruesome. I have had bears on 2 occasions come into my house while I was watching TV. Had a grizzly try to get me out of my sleeping bag in Alaska. Been within inches of several black bears and have been escorted off the mountain by 2 other bears. Had one try to crawl in my camper shell with me in Wyoming. I can tell you this much, it was not just my daughters that screamed like little girls. In my "do it and think about it later" phase of my life I even crawled headfirst into a bear's den armed only with a 357-magnum revolver to sort out a wounded black bear. Afterwards even my feeble brain said that was not smart. Had to shoot one last year with rubber buckshot as he was hanging around my young grandsons. He was a 2-time loser and his next encounter, which was at my house, and he was a dead bear. Maybe it kept him alive a little longer getting shot in the butt. No, we are not intruders, we are just cohabiting with the other fauna and encounters happen and I always carry a handgun only because I can't by hand grenades at the local Ace Hardware.