Grizzly attack

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Wed, 2011-09-28 09:44

GooseHunter Jr

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Grizzly attack

Heard about another, but this is all I can find.

Story Published: Sep 27, 2011 at 2:00 PM MDT HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Wildlife officials say a bow hunter from Michigan was attacked by a grizzly bear in southwestern Montana, but suffered only minor injuries. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say the hunter, who has not been identified, was hiking alone Friday when he came upon the bear in a meadow near Cinnamon Creek in the Gallatin Canyon. The hunter backed away as the bear ran toward him. The grizzly knocked him down and apparently bit him on the head. FWP officials say the bear then retreated, stopping twice and looking at the man before leaving. The hunter was treated and released in Big Sky for puncture wounds and a laceration on his head. FWP bear management specialist Kevin Frey says the hunter was not carrying bear spray

Wed, 2011-09-28 09:45

GooseHunter Jr

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I should have saidifyou

I should have saidifyou google a grizzly attack it is amazing how many article and videos there are.

Wed, 2011-09-28 15:19

Ca_Vermonster

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I just can't seem to read

I just can't seem to read "monor injuries" and "puncture wounds to his head" in the same sentence. Don't go too well together. I can't imagine what was going throught hat hunters mind when that bear got ahold of his skull. Good golly!

Man, alot of bear attacks or encounters this year. It seems like there has been at least one every single week this late summer and fall. Of course, most of them are still occurring out in the woods, so it's not like they are coming out of the hills for food or anything like that. It just seems to be random, dumb luck encounters out there.

Glad to see he is going to come out of it okay. I wonder what the psychological impact will be though. That never gets talked about, whether or not this guy will ever be able to set foot in the woods again, or go into bear territory.

Wed, 2011-09-28 18:22

buckykm1

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attacts

There has been a lot of attacts this year, i have read about 6 in just the last month or so. this guy is the first one that survived the attact.

I will be in Montana, in about 3 weeks, for 2 weeks, on a DIY Elk hunt.

Kevin

Wed, 2011-09-28 19:36

hunter25

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I hadn't heard about this one

I hadn't heard about this one at all. It sounds like this guy came out of it better than anybody else though. I can't imagine gettting bit like that and not only surviving but being released right away. Obviously this bear mostly just wanted to be left alone, made his point and went on his way.

I'm thinking more and more that bear spray would not be to bad of an idea.

Wed, 2011-09-28 20:11

Critter

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I agree that if you are

I agree that if you are hunting in grizzly country and not hunting a grizzly bear then the first thing that you should put on after you get out of the truck or walk out of the tent would be some bear spray.

Thinking about this and with my up coming hunt for one up in BC I just might have to send the guides a email off and see if they pack anything. I know that the pictures that I have seen they don't, but then they usually have a hunter with them with a rifle. But you never know.

Wed, 2011-09-28 22:08

COMeatHunter

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Bear Spray?

Bear Spray? If I was thinking about protecting myself from a bear attack I think I'd go with a .44 mag or a Desert Eagle.

It would be very strange to see a bear actually running at me while hunting or hiking (every bear I've ever run into in the woods has run about 60mph in the opposite direction regardless of what was in front of him, brush, trees, water, etc.). If I had a weapon, I would have to at least think about drawing down on it and defend myself. I know this was a bow hunter, and sticking the bear with an arrow might just piss him off more....kind of a no win situation there, perhaps.

If I'm rifle or muzzle hunting, I'm shooting it until it turns around or stops dead. I'm likely not waiting to find out if he just has a point to make or is really hungry. Hopefully, I never get to experience this thrill.

Thu, 2011-09-29 08:03

Critter

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It has been proven that bear

It has been proven that bear spray is a lot more effective than a .44 or even a .50 caliber hand gun. If you don't think so here is a test for you to try. Take a tennis ball which is about the size of a bears brain. Hang it by a string from a tree and then start to swing it back and forth. Then take your pistol and try and hit it from what ever distance you want. Not too easy is it? A brain shot is the only shot that is going to take out a charging bear. You can't shoot for the spine since the bear is charging you head on and even if you take out the heart he'll still have enough time to get to you an do some damage. Bear spray on the other hand goes out in a fog. Anything that comes into it is affected and affected now and it usually stops a bear in its tracks and then it continues to irritate the eyes and nasal passages as the bear breathes it in as it retreats away from you.

So just how good of a shot are you? Can you hit that tennis ball with a slug or do you like the shotgun effect of the spray? I know that everyone thinks that they are a good or great pistol shot but I have been shooting pistols for over 45 years now and I'll depend on the spray every time.

Thu, 2011-09-29 13:22

COMeatHunter

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Point taken

I've never really thought about carrying bear spray and, quite honestly, never really looked into it. A quick Google search pops up a US Fish & Wildlife study (2005, summary link below) that clearly recommends spray for an attacking grizzly.

The above point about marksmanship isn't really accurate either. Even if I could hit the tennis ball consistently (which I'm sure I couldn't), pump some adrenalin through the veins and add the confusion and nerves of trying to find your target, that by the way is looking to eat you, as it's moving at 40 mph at you through the woods, and all bets are off on whether the bullet will still consistently find the "tennis ball". Reality is much more difficult than a moving tennis ball at the range.

Can't say I'm going out to buy some bear spray right away to take hunting with me. But if I do ever hunt in grizzly country, I'll probably think about it then.

Link: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/grizzly/bear%20spray.pdf

Wed, 2011-09-28 20:50

jcbrown99

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Two fatal bear attacks in Yellowstone this year ...

Two fatal bear attacks in Yellowstone this year after a quarter century of no deaths. Has is it been a bad year for huckleberries up in Montana?

Details in the Denver Post article below:

http://www.denverpost.com/rawnews/ci_18988052

Thu, 2011-09-29 08:29

#10

Retired2hunt

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Well Critter is right about

Well Critter is right about the pepper spray working better... but I would have it in one hand and my handgun in the other - both doing their job!

Several of these attacks are people on their own alone in the woods or novice hunters in at least one case. I think those are two very important points that have generated what seems to be more attacks.

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