Swan Hills Bear Attack
- Thread starter Demonical
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
In general terms I'm opposed to killing a bear as revenge for an attack on a human, although a predatory attack must be viewed as a bear that now considers humans prey and thus constitutes a specific danger. The policy of killing any bear that makes physical contact with a person is a misguided one that does nothing to improve safety. Any bear can be approachable one day and dangerous the next, the only way to be sure that nobody will ever be attacked by a bear is to make them extinct. The world is much more interesting with large carnivores in it. If you don't want to risk getting pounded by a bear, stay on the sidewalk.
Good luck to the hunter. If he survives his emotional injuries will prove as difficult as the physical ones.
Good luck to the hunter. If he survives his emotional injuries will prove as difficult as the physical ones.
- Location
- AB foothills
TV-PressPass
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Mountains, Alberta
I think if he'd killed the bear at the time, fair enough, she was trying to harm him and he would have been defending himself.
But if its truly a wild area, then there isn't really a lot of benefit to tracking her down now and shooting her. I'm sure everyone in the area is already pretty cautious, and will continue to be cautious in the future regardless of whether the bear is killed or not.
But if its truly a wild area, then there isn't really a lot of benefit to tracking her down now and shooting her. I'm sure everyone in the area is already pretty cautious, and will continue to be cautious in the future regardless of whether the bear is killed or not.
There is no more exhilarating feeling, than walking along a trail, in the wilderness, and coming upon fresh grizzly tracks. It's like the year is irrelevant. Time stands still, when you are on the bears turf. I love that feeling. I cherish it, and my time in the wilderness.
I hope I never go into a Swan Hills that has no grizzlies.
In 2 days I'm heading up into country, further west of yesterdays attack site, where there's always grizzlies roaming. I pretty much am solo most of the time I go into the wilderness, and I will be again this year, for about a week, until my buddy gets into camp.
Through good luck, I have not had the type of experience that this fellow had to endure. God willing that continues.
But sometimes when we go into the bush 's**t happens'.
C'est la vie.
P.S. - Ironically, I have a trail cam about 5 kms from where this attack occurred. And that guy yesterday, was attacked when he was in the bush fooling around with a trail camera.
I hope I never go into a Swan Hills that has no grizzlies.
In 2 days I'm heading up into country, further west of yesterdays attack site, where there's always grizzlies roaming. I pretty much am solo most of the time I go into the wilderness, and I will be again this year, for about a week, until my buddy gets into camp.
Through good luck, I have not had the type of experience that this fellow had to endure. God willing that continues.
But sometimes when we go into the bush 's**t happens'.
C'est la vie.
P.S. - Ironically, I have a trail cam about 5 kms from where this attack occurred. And that guy yesterday, was attacked when he was in the bush fooling around with a trail camera.
I agree, and you are more likely to get injured driving to your hunting area than encounter a bear attack.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
And therein lies the big question if they would with certainty track and kill that bear, seeing as she has no eartag or license plate attached.
Sh!t happens, hopefully he recovers fully.
Looks like my point of view on harmful bear human encounters and subsequent follow up action is the less popular one, however I stand fast by my beliefs.
I'm not saying exterminate all grizzlies because of this isolated attack, I'm saying destroy this grizzly. I believe that "this" bear will now have less fear of humans putting other users of the outdoors at an increased risk. Also we don't know what the results would have been if the hunter hadn't gotting off the shot, it may very will have been a predatory attack that was terminated after the shot (was the shot a hit?).
I live in a rural area that has both blacks and grizzlies and yes I do go into the bush at times unarmed (picking mushrooms) so it might be that my time for this type of scenario is coming. I won't dwell on that thought, but also I'd be pretty pissed if it was by a bear that had mauled someone else and the powers to be felt she wouldn't do it again.
cheers
I'm not saying exterminate all grizzlies because of this isolated attack, I'm saying destroy this grizzly. I believe that "this" bear will now have less fear of humans putting other users of the outdoors at an increased risk. Also we don't know what the results would have been if the hunter hadn't gotting off the shot, it may very will have been a predatory attack that was terminated after the shot (was the shot a hit?).
I live in a rural area that has both blacks and grizzlies and yes I do go into the bush at times unarmed (picking mushrooms) so it might be that my time for this type of scenario is coming. I won't dwell on that thought, but also I'd be pretty pissed if it was by a bear that had mauled someone else and the powers to be felt she wouldn't do it again.
cheers
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/tech...d+Swan+Hills+after+serious/7266662/story.html
‘Bear Response Team’ headed to Swan Hills after serious grizzly attack on hunter
By Jana G. Pruden and Mariam Ibrahim, Edmonton Journal September 19, 2012 11:02 AM EDMONTON
- A specialized “bear response team” is en route to the scene of a grizzly bear attack that left a 48-year-old man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The man, whose name has not been released, was hunting alone in a forested area about nine kilometres northwest of Swan Hills on Tuesday morning when the bear attacked him from behind, said STARS air ambulance spokesman Cam Heke.
The attack continued until the hunter was able to reach his gun and fire a round, scaring off the bear, Heke said. The hunter then walked several kilometres before he could get a cellphone signal and call for help.
Emergency crews used an all-terrain vehicle to take the man out of the forest to the STARS helicopter, which took him to hospital in Grande Prairie.
Dan Laville, a spokesman for Solicitor General and Public Safety, said the specialized bear team has been sent to the area to find out exactly what happened, including identifying the particular animal involved in the attack.
“At this point, we don’t know which bear it is,” Laville said. “In Solicitor General terms, it’s under investigation.”
He said the bear team’s investigation will include interviewing the victim, if possible, and visiting the scene of the attack. DNA samples from the injured hunter can be used to confirm whether a particular bear was the attacker.
Myrtle Poirier, manager of the Derrick Motor Inn in Swan Hills, said many people are talking about the attack, and are thinking about the injured man and his family.
“It’s just a little town, so that’s the news all over the place,” Poirier said.
Grizzly bears are a big part of the identity of the small community. The highway running through town is called Grizzly Trail, and local businesses include the Grizzly Motel and the local newspaper, the Grizzly Gazette.
Hunting is a popular pastime in the area, and deer, black bear, moose, elk, grouse, partridge, ducks and geese are all currently in season.
Swan Hills is about 220 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
More to come …
jpruden@edmontonjournal.com
Sounds like you might get your wish, but I hope they limit their investigation to viewing the scene and interviewing the victim.
A thorough investigation is obviously warranted.
‘Bear Response Team’ headed to Swan Hills after serious grizzly attack on hunter
By Jana G. Pruden and Mariam Ibrahim, Edmonton Journal September 19, 2012 11:02 AM EDMONTON
- A specialized “bear response team” is en route to the scene of a grizzly bear attack that left a 48-year-old man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The man, whose name has not been released, was hunting alone in a forested area about nine kilometres northwest of Swan Hills on Tuesday morning when the bear attacked him from behind, said STARS air ambulance spokesman Cam Heke.
The attack continued until the hunter was able to reach his gun and fire a round, scaring off the bear, Heke said. The hunter then walked several kilometres before he could get a cellphone signal and call for help.
Emergency crews used an all-terrain vehicle to take the man out of the forest to the STARS helicopter, which took him to hospital in Grande Prairie.
Dan Laville, a spokesman for Solicitor General and Public Safety, said the specialized bear team has been sent to the area to find out exactly what happened, including identifying the particular animal involved in the attack.
“At this point, we don’t know which bear it is,” Laville said. “In Solicitor General terms, it’s under investigation.”
He said the bear team’s investigation will include interviewing the victim, if possible, and visiting the scene of the attack. DNA samples from the injured hunter can be used to confirm whether a particular bear was the attacker.
Myrtle Poirier, manager of the Derrick Motor Inn in Swan Hills, said many people are talking about the attack, and are thinking about the injured man and his family.
“It’s just a little town, so that’s the news all over the place,” Poirier said.
Grizzly bears are a big part of the identity of the small community. The highway running through town is called Grizzly Trail, and local businesses include the Grizzly Motel and the local newspaper, the Grizzly Gazette.
Hunting is a popular pastime in the area, and deer, black bear, moose, elk, grouse, partridge, ducks and geese are all currently in season.
Swan Hills is about 220 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
More to come …
jpruden@edmontonjournal.com
Sounds like you might get your wish, but I hope they limit their investigation to viewing the scene and interviewing the victim.
A thorough investigation is obviously warranted.
This attitude is anthrpomorphic in nature; it suggests that these bears can reason, when their reactions are entirely instinctual. These bears are not going cross-country seeking humans to devour.
They're not leaving this encounter and wandering along today thinking, "Jeez', that was easy, let's go find some more peoples to f**k up."
A grizzly has no fear of humans! That sow is going to react that way, any time some poor schmuck walks in and sits on a log right between her and her cub. And we know this is a one-in-ten-thousand type of incident, just horrible bad luck for that guy!
Defending a cub is an instinctive reaction of any sow grizzly. It's ingrained in all sow grizzlies, and has developed over the millenia.
This is not 'Night of the Grizzly'...
with this logic you should kill all bears as any bear can attack if pressured, cornered, hungry or injured. the best logic is if you are paranoid of bears stay out of the woods as they have not been known to attack down town cores yet.
and if in the wood keep ear phones in pockets and your head on a swival and not up your A##.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
x2...
Demolical, you as I am are entitled to our believes....but I think you are moving the goal lines here. No one said that this grizzly and the cub will be on a "Night of the Grizzly" human seeking mission to Kill, maim, or destroy. To come up with an argument as such is well, just plain comical.
Also as to your anthropomorphic comment, that wasn't suggested or implied. I hardly think that you are an animal behavioural expert (maybe you are???). I simply said that I believe this grizzly (that has mauled a human) and her cub will now have less fear of humans and should be destroyed. My experiences in working with animals (grew up on a farm) is they have learned conditional responses. Kind of like a dog that bites once is more likely to bite again than a dog that hasn't, pup or no pup.
I'll say it again, IMO a human life is worth more than an animals life. And in keeping with that belief the poor schmuck in this situation (again in my opinion) should be the bear and the cub.
cheers
Also as to your anthropomorphic comment, that wasn't suggested or implied. I hardly think that you are an animal behavioural expert (maybe you are???). I simply said that I believe this grizzly (that has mauled a human) and her cub will now have less fear of humans and should be destroyed. My experiences in working with animals (grew up on a farm) is they have learned conditional responses. Kind of like a dog that bites once is more likely to bite again than a dog that hasn't, pup or no pup.
I'll say it again, IMO a human life is worth more than an animals life. And in keeping with that belief the poor schmuck in this situation (again in my opinion) should be the bear and the cub.
cheers
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
If true its a shame. Anyone whose read my stuff knows I'm all for folks carrying guns to protect themselves, neither do I have a problem with legally hunting a bear of any species. But if those bears are killed for no reason other than a vendetta, it serves no purpose. That is simply poaching by another name, and there's a couple fewer grizzlies for us to enjoy; either through binoculars, or a scope.
Boomer, I'm sure we'll hear something in the next day or so. I also think it's a gross over-reaction, if they've killed either of those bears, but what I was told today didn't sound too good for those grizzlies.
That article about the Dangerous Bear Response Team said they'd be getting DNA. Only one way to get that from a grizzly I guess...
hawk-i, I don't consider myself to be anything but a concerned observer of this tragedy. This happened right in my hunting & working area.
This is a terrible incident for the person, and the grizzlies involved.
That article about the Dangerous Bear Response Team said they'd be getting DNA. Only one way to get that from a grizzly I guess...
hawk-i, I don't consider myself to be anything but a concerned observer of this tragedy. This happened right in my hunting & working area.
This is a terrible incident for the person, and the grizzlies involved.
