UPDATE! Montana Grizzly Mauling

[crazyphil]

There was an Associated Press story in my Idaho Press this
morning that gave me a couple of bits of information that I
didn't know about this incident. I thought some of you who
may have followed the story might be interested.

The story headline is Grizzly Victim Knew Risks of Living Near
Bears. Close acquaintances of the victim, Charles "Carl" Mock,
said that Carl accepted the risk as a trade-off for time spent in
a wilderness teaming with elk, deer, wolves, and other wildlife.

Those who knew him said he usually carried bear spray and a
pistol, but he did not have the pistol on this day. A friend said
he and Mock came upon bears in the wild numerous times. At
times the grizzly would make a bluff charge, but always backed
down until this attack.

Mock was found propped against a tree. With the bear spray
cannister in one hand. His other hand had been chomped off as
he tried to protect himself. He was attacked while fishing in the
Madison River.

One of the animal's teeth punctured his skull and Mock died two
days later in an Idaho hospital after undergoing extensive surgery.

For the past five years Mock had worked as a guide for a
snowmobile touring company.

 

[ancient-one]

That is a shame. If he had his pistol he might of had a chance. I always thought that those fishing in bear territory should have a short barreled shotgun loaded with proper slugs slung across their shoulder.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

I have never caught or eaten a fish worth being killed by a Griz.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

That is a shame. If he had his pistol he might of had a chance. I always thought that those fishing in bear territory should have a short barreled shotgun loaded with proper slugs slung across their shoulder.

The Marlin Guide Gun was made for situations just like this. Before Guide Guns were available, A friend built a short action Mauser in a 2" version of 458 Win mag with a 16" barrel for fishing in Alaska! Carried in a back scabbard and drawn over the shoulder. My GG loads and his 458-2" loads are both 400 grain at 2200 fps. Very accurate, and I hope I never find out how well they work!

Ivan

 

[Absalom]

Would be interesting to know whether the bear spray can showed that it was used.

Obviously he knew what he was doing. Sometimes your number is just up. If he hadn't seen the risk, which he obviously was familiar with, as manageable, he'd have fished elsewhere. And if he had slipped on a rock, hit his head, and drowned, nobody but a few locals would even talk about it.

 

[mtgianni]

Like many things bear spray works until it doesn't. None of us will react the same way to a perceived threat. I am 120 miles N of there at closer to 5000 ft than 6200 ft and our bears are not out yet. I still think this is a bear that went to hibernate early and woke up angry.
There are risks in crossing the street. My son was a mechanic for another snowmachine rental company in West. People live there because they love it and feel it is worth all risks. The same could be said of hurricane, tornado, and antifa zones.

 

[crazyphil]

Absalom - The bear spray had been used. The folks who found him say
his cloths had the odor of bear spray residue.

 

[pantannojack]

I think we have all read the joke about how to tell Black Bear scat from Grizzly. One has bells in it and smells like pepper.

 

[BSA1]

Some time back I watched a episode of Alaska State Troopers. In this episode a Trooper got into a small boat and checked the fishing licenses of the people at the river.

He checked a fly fisherman and they got into a discussion about protection from bears. The fisherman brought a large S&W 500 revolver with him...

...and had it laying on rock on the riverbank several steps behind him.

I do enjoy watching the videos of brown bears suddenly running up and stealing a fisherman's catch when it reels it in. That's not considered feeding the bears is it?

 

[Absalom]

Absalom - The bear spray had been used. The folks who found him say
his cloths had the odor of bear spray residue.

Thanks for the info. I suspect Mr. Mock was indeed surprised and didn't get the spray into action fast enough to ward off the initial attack, but the spray got the bear away and was responsible for him still being alive when found (and for a few more days), even though it took time to get to him and the bear was still in the area and threatened the rescue party.

 

[mtgianni]

Bear spray flat takes the fight out of some critters. There are others I suspect could eat it for lunch. They also continue to go in a straight line after they are hit. If don't or can't move from that line you're still the target.

 

[BigBill]

I feel in grizz country we can never have enough gun.

I have a resident blackbear cub he's about 2 years old maybe 3. When he was smaller he was eating our deer and bird food. He was friendly, one night he tested me by walking up to me. I raised my arms and made noise. He walked off. I know we can be friends but someone near me may be trigger happy. I see him off in a distance eating the deer blocks. So far so good he stays away. There's plenty of fruit and nut trees in my area. I seen this cub bolt from 0 to 30 mph in seconds they can move.

My crazy yellow lab hates the bears. He ran up to a 400 lb blackbear one evening. About 20ft from it the wife called him back.
It's good to have a dog.