Hunters survive night attack in Purcell Mountains. Hiked 5 kilometers back to truck after attack-
Two lucky hunters survived what sounds to me like a half-hearted predatory attack by a female grizzly. There is evidence that they had been followed by two grizzlies earlier that day.
I say “half-hearted” because they would not have survived a full scale attack. Although they had a rifle in the tent, during the struggle they couldn’t chamber the bullet. Fortunately, they were able to chase the bear away.
B.C. hunters on the mend after grizzly bear attack. By Sunny Dhillon (CP)
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He has been a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and also its President. For many years he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Understanding and being able to read any animal’s mood and intent is critical when encountering everything from moose to bears to moron’s dogs on busy trails. Predatory bear behavior, slow methodical stalking that is undetered should be recognized and these bears endangered or not should probably be dispatched humanely.
Jeff,
No we should wait unitl they attack someone, then start a big bear spray/all hunters are morons thread, where people who weren’t there and many who have never had a threatening bear encounter can provide great insite and condemn humans for doing wrong.
Ralph,
There was a similar attack to this on the Kenai last year that a well known fishing guide was involved in.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/bears/story/897940.html