Bear in zoo biting lady - do you intervene with firearm?

[allaroundhunter]

In the wild? Yes.

In a zoo? No.

If this woman got close enough to the enclosure to be grabbed, I am not going to punish the bear for her stupidity. I *might* use pepper spray if I had it, but I would not use lethal force.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Shoot the bear and the world is short one bear. Shoot the woman and the world is short one idiot.

 

[allaroundhunter]

No one has brought up the fact that the typical self defense pistol is likely to have little effect on a polar bear

Really? People think big animals are invincible or something. Neither bears, nor lions, nor tigers are immune to bullets.

Yes, if I was actually hunting for bears, I would take something else, but in defense of a person who is being attacked, a service caliber handgun will still work.

Even a .22 through the ear will kill a polar bear...

 

[MtnCreek]

I guess if you folks were doctors and had to treat a motorcycle accident victim that wasn't wearing his helmet, you wouldn't help him? The guy that gets cancer after smoking cigarettes all his life doesn't deserve treatment?

If I was an employee of the zoo, hired to shoot the bear if some fool managed to climb the fence and was being attacked, then yes; I would shoot the bear.

 

[purpplehaze]

If the bear was loose or if the person unintentionally fell in I would not hesitate. However if the idiot climbed two fences to take a picture the most I would do would be to play tug-o-war with it and slap it with flimsy sticks.

 

[gym]

I am with the Bear on this one, it was his home she invaded. It was not in the wild, she made a choice. The Bear was being a Bear. Did anyone think of firing a few shots in the ground to scare or shock the Bear? that probablly would have made the bear release the woman on it's own. Worth a try, instead of pissing off the bear with a 45.. Aside from a half dozen laws being broken. Best thing to do in this case is dig a big hole and cover it with ash, when the bear comes along, kick him in the ash hole, or throw him a twinkie.

 

[Cosmoline]

She was trespassing and breaking the law. Binky was within his rights to use force to detain her.

 

[NavyLCDR]

I've got a question for the "purge the gene pool unless it is my wife or kids" group....

Let's say it is your wife. Why should we not be worthy of the cleansing of the gene pool of stupidity just because it happens to be your wife who was the stupid woman to climb over the two fences? Why would your wife, if it was her, be more worthy of your protection after doing the stupid deed? Why not just stand there and watch your wife "get what she deserves?"

 

[coolluke01]

Would I have drawn my 1911 and shot it point blank?

The bear or the lady?

 

[Zombiphobia]

lady decided to cross two fences to get a good picture of a polar bear, and it reaches through the bars, clamps down on her hip, and starts trying to pull her through the bars.

Her own fault. I'd let it eat her.

(she lived).

Pity. I hope she doesn't have children. In fact, people that stupid should be executed and then fed to the animals. Then they can benefit something.


Like the people who will pick up their children and hold them over the rail of a gorilla or other dangerous animal enclosure. Throw those dumb -$%!*s in there for the gorillas or lions to play with, and turn the child over to social services for adoption.

Better that way for everyone. People this dumb are a hazard to themselves and others.


Um.. pepper spray the bear? No, I'd pepper spray the woman so the bear has a meal with a little spicy flavor.

 

[MtnCreek]

I've got a question for the "purge the gene pool unless it is my wife or kids" group....

It's still nature at work; I must protect my wife. Also, since I married the fool that climbed two fences to get a close look at a polar bear, I'm probably on the wrong side of the gene-pool argument anyway.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Let's say it is your wife. Why should we not be worthy of the cleansing of the gene pool of stupidity just because it happens to be your wife who was the stupid woman to climb over the two fences?

I took great care to ensure I did not marry a stupid woman.

 

[conrad427]

i hate really really hate polar bears. I dont drink coke during the holidays. so yes in that instance i would shoot at the bear. Only problem is that if you shot a polar bear with a .45 and he found out about it he might become quite cross with you.

 

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

Natural selection

Yep, why interfere with a potential winner of this years Darwin Award??
(check it out if you haven't seen it).

 

[mgmorden]

I find it hilarious that the people are touting "natural law" and such . . . about a bear contained in a ZOO - an environment that is anything but natural.

Realistically, yes, she was dumb, but people doesn't deserve to die for doing the occasional stupid thing (which despite protests - I'd bet each and every one of us here has done something equally stupid at some point in our lives). In my book, no matter how dumb they might be, people count for more than animals. It wouldn't be my first choice of actions (as frankly I want to avoid shooting my gun in public at all costs - the paperwork is likely to be a nightmare), but if I thought her life was in danger I'd shoot the bear in an instant.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A few days ago a thread was started asking were you upstairs with your gun, would you go downstairs to save your gunless family members (from an attacker). It seemed that about half had reservations and or had to qualify their answers. It was almost unbelievable.

 

[Zombiphobia]

which despite protests - I'd bet each and every one of us here has done something equally stupid at some point in our lives

No. It takes talent to be that stupid. You have to be trying

 

[jon_in_wv]

Wow, this is supposed to be "The High Road" or a place of responsible talk about firearms and instead it is a bunch of boasting and garbage from people saying they would let a woman die of her mistake (because they are so perfect they never make them), die of her own stupidity (which would kill more than one person on this thread from what I've read), or worse they would actually shoot the woman herself. I understand some of those are jokes so don't act all butt hurt if you were joking but some others are just being plain stupid.

I'm not trying to be self righteous but no animal is worth more than a human life. If you are so cold and callous you can stand by with indifference while a woman is killed by an animal then you are lower than the woman or the animal. The woman may be stupid, the animal may be doing what it does but neither is wishing she is dead or judging that she deserved it.

I'll get off my soapbox and try to find the video. Maybe I'll feel different after I watch it.

 

[Robert]

Well apparently at a zoo in Alaska, this Australian lady decided to cross two fences to get a good picture of a polar bear,

TWO fences to get to a BEAR. And one of the world's largest, it being a Polar Bear. Ok we are dealing with a dim one here. I would have pinched the bridge of my nose, sighed and done everything possible to save her life. I would have shot the bear if I had to. Does she deserve what she gets, sure. But I can not simply stand by and watch someone die. I hope the zoo sends her the bill.

I'm not trying to be self righteous but no animal is worth more than a human life.

I tend to agree.

 

[theicemanmpls]

If someone was packing a 1911 in Australia, they probably would be serving a few years in the clink. I wonder how the jail food is there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Australia#Current_Australian_firearm_laws

I think distracting the bear, and getting the zoo keepers attention would be the way to go for this one.

In the USA? Judgment call. Unless one gets very lucky, a .45 is going to take a great deal of time to dispatch a white bear. Shooting the beast will probably make it grab its prey harder. I would use the weapon as a noise maker in this case.

I couldn't standby and let the woman, no matter how stupid die.

 

[jon_in_wv]

OK, I watched it.

1. Yeah that was stupid. Does that rise to the level of , "She deserves to DIE stupid?" NO. I'm sure she is MUCH smarter now.

2. Would I shoot the bear? Ehhh, maybe not. It didn't appear the bear was really bent on getting her inside and it didn't look like he was doing damage that would rise to the level of immediately life threatening. (If he had her by the neck/head or was dragging her into the cage aggressively I probably would have.) It looked like the kind of situation that might have escalated quickly but in the end it all turned out fine. The bear is fine, the lady has a few learning scars, all is fine in the world.

I don't know if some of you have had the opportunity to watch someone getting killed right before your eyes. I would wager a lot of you have no CLUE what you are talking about.

 

[Zombiphobia]

a bunch of boasting and garbage from people saying they would let a woman die of her mistake (because they are so perfect they never make them), die of her own stupidity

I dunno about 'boasting'. I'm just saying if she's that dumb, I see no point in risking my limbs to pull her from a bears grip. Screw that.

She deliberately put herself in that situation. And the signs are very clear about not crossing the fences. I don't like breaking rules ya know...

I'm not trying be cool by being cold-hearted, I just have little sympathy for people who get themselves hurt by being idiots.

Oh well, lesson learned, hopefully.

I don't know if some of you have had the opportunity to watch someone getting killed right before your eyes.

Yes, and my thoughts were 'Shoulda used the crosswalk, or at least chosen a more well-lit area dummy'. If someone choses to commit suicide, it aint my doing.

 

[ScottieG59]

The zoo near us in Kansas is off limits for firearms. I would hope if I saw this attack, maybe I would have been there early enough to warn the lady that we are just meat to the polar bear.

I guess since it is a hypothetical, you Michael be able to entice the polar bear with some fresh seal meat you happen to have near by or offer yourself up or someone you do not like very much.

In actuality, the scenario is, would you use your firearm when you are carrying illegally? This is a tough one since you will have had no justification as to why you broke the law. The concept of "competing harms" Mas Ayoob discusses would not seem to apply. If you expect to use force in places where your chosen weapon is not allowed, you should have a plan.

I have faced a simulation situation, but with vicious dogs in an area where there were playing children. I was legally armed and decided to drive the dogs off, though without the kids, I would probably have shot the dogs. The rules of engagement will vary according to the environment.

 

[lloveless]

I would not shoot the bear. I would use pepper spray, a cane etc., but destroying a captive bear in his home to me is a no no. The women was an idiot, whose actions endangered all who came to her aid. For those who say they will not ever put a animals life above that of an human need to work in a prison for awhile. Then you will also believe in abortion. By the way this happened in Anchorage, Alaska in 1994. Binky had been raised by humans and had several people who were close to him, so it was surprising that he came unglued. I guess we all have bad days. On the other hand the boy that "marked" the sleeping polar bears head was really stupid. Maybe his injury kept him from reproducing.
ll

 

[TenDriver]

I've got a question for the "purge the gene pool unless it is my wife or kids" group....

Let's say it is your wife. Why should we not be worthy of the cleansing of the gene pool of stupidity just because it happens to be your wife who was the stupid woman to climb over the two fences? Why would your wife, if it was her, be more worthy of your protection after doing the stupid deed? Why not just stand there and watch your wife "get what she deserves?"

If it was my wife, I'd throw the bear a breath mint when he was done.