Bear (Black) Attack

[Rojo27]

Very fortunate outcome.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-woman-fights-black-bear-1.3567714

[Rojo27]

Unless cubs were around, wouldn't 3:1 odds  (two dogs and her) scare the bear off?

One would hope but wild animals are unpredictable.  They story indicates the lady took off running which caused the bear to immediately focus and pursue her.  Worst thing she could have done.  However, pretty easy to tell somebody to stand still when a charging black bear is coming down on them out of the blue.....  Much harder in the execution I would well imagine.   

[Quick 2]

Here is what you do when in bear country. Always take someone you don't like so if a bear attacks you only have to out run them and if you can't out run them then you trip them.

I live 125 miles from the Smokies Mountains and I love to go to Cades Cove. We always see bear and cubs in the spring when we go and it amazes me that people 30 yards away from a sow with cubs and a zoom lens on their camera have to get closer. I'm the heckler in the crowd that hollers I have a $100 for anybody that will go pet Mama bear on the head. Haven't had to pay up yet. The bears can out run a human they can climb any tree faster that a human but they still want to get closer. We have bears come into town. If one gets out of town and comes where I live he has a 50 yard limit before I change to the  magazine with 180gr ball with 10.5 grain of LongShot I carry with me at all times. Just hope it cold weather so I can get it butchered before the meat goes bad.

[yfdcap]

Very lucky.  Learn to shoot and pack a gun should be her next adventure.

[T Burton]

She needs to trade in those sissy dogs that didn't protect her!

[4Rescue]

First post but, figured it was relevant.  I'm from the PNW Born/raised and Lived in NE Australia for several years working/fighting fire.  I'm also an avid Rafter/Back-country User/W-EMT etc. (I spend a lot of time out in the bush...) and have traveled up into CA/AK and had a LOT of encounters with Bears of both the Black and Brown variety.  Running is never a good option from the start as, like was mentioned, in that critical moment it makes the animal focus on you and make a decision, but 9 times/10 even a big Brown Bear is scarred to death of you unless they're "that Bear" (Animals have personalities as varied as people) or sick/injured etc..  Now all that being said, we're also driving animal populations crazy with all the developing/general parasitic Human growth and they can and will act funny when pressed into territory that's not familiar.   Thankfully I've never had to put one down, but that's what the Glock G20/Underwood Ext. Penetrator and some home-brew "Wilderness loads" are there for.  I'll also say that poorly trained/controlled dogs can make a bad situation with an unknown animal WORSE as they can drive them into a defensive posture instead of just scarring them away.  If the animal has nowhere to "run" it's likely going to come through you even if only to get away so being able to heel/control your dogs (something every dog owner should be able to do anyway... so sick of all these yuppies/idiots with their "fashion" working/big-dogs that don't socialize them well/train them/work them and then get mad at the dog for being "bad"... but that's another thread all together) and assess the situation is paramount and "creating calm" (if possible) is always best before you try to get big, make noise and look scary. Bear-Bells are a MUST IMO, if you're going into known territory, unless you're LOOKING to for the bears.   Warning shots can work as well, as a last resort IMO, but for I've also seen idiots rip off "warning shots" that were actually pointed down the trail or in general somewhere they weren't sure was clear/at the unknown and could just have easily hit another person as scarred the animals off... I actually find Black Bears, in certain areas like the Rogue River Valley here in OR for instance, to be more difficult to judge as they're subject to a LOT of poor behavior from River/Trail users who leave food out and litteraly try to treat them like pets or at least animals in a zoo.  Such a stupid idea and one that leads to the poor animal being branded "aggressive" when, once again, it's an idiot human factor being imposed on an animal.  FWIW, if you really want to feel the icy cold in your veins pay more attention in those "remote" beautiful areas and if you see/experience a Cat encounter you'll know what I mean... On land, nothing is as amazing or deadly/scary to behold as a Big-Cat in the wild and I've had a few close calls there too but luckily... I've still never had to kill any to save myself and I hope I never do. 

Cheers and No Worries

Dave

PS, Love the forum, glad to be here and really liking what I've seen thus far.  Much thanks to those who allow us to have such a place to come discuss these things and our 10mm Firearms esp.

[Rojo27]

Welcome to the forum 4Rescue!  It's a pretty cool place.
Thanks for your insight.

Regards

[ZanderMan]

Great post, @4Rescue!

[Rojo27]

Hey, another black bear encounter.  This one had a much better outcome for Momma Bear and Man!
I like this guy, he was able to stay calm & focused and apply the appropriate response.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/weird/article87925552.html