Brown bear killed by Kodiak bunny hunter
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cassandrasdaddy
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what caliber handgun? would love to learn more
Dionysusigma
Member
Not sure why the cubs were shot, unless they were too young to fend for themselves.
Also, it's early January. I thought bears hibernated...
Also, it's early January. I thought bears hibernated...
chris in va
Member
Bears don't truly hibernate, they...sleep quite a bit.
You watch, it'll be a 22. Then everyone can SHUT UP about caliber wars.
You watch, it'll be a 22. Then everyone can SHUT UP about caliber wars.
From the article, the berry crop was poor, the sow didn't gain enough weight to do the quasi-hybernation she should have been doing. Chances are she wouldn't have made it through the winter anyways.
Also from the article, the man was carrying two firearms. I suspect he was carrying either a .22LR for the rabbits, or possibly a light shotgun, and had one of the more popular brands of bear medicine (45LC hot, 44mag, 454 etc) upon his hip just in case.
Also from the article, the man was carrying two firearms. I suspect he was carrying either a .22LR for the rabbits, or possibly a light shotgun, and had one of the more popular brands of bear medicine (45LC hot, 44mag, 454 etc) upon his hip just in case.
Roswell 1847
member
Years ago I saw a series of photos a nature photographer took as a Brown bear first noticed him and began charging downhill at him.
A later photo taken by the authorities showed the Photographers Ruger Single action lying on the ground with the hammer back.
He'd realized the danger too late and managed to draw his Single Action and cock it but didn't live long enough to get a shot off.
You should always try to stay higher than the Bear, and if you have no other choice but to run your only chance is manueverability.
The Bears weight adds to his speed in a downhil run but he can't change direction quickly.
If you get an opening run uphill and he'll be much slower and tire of the chase if you are lucky.
Otherwise Find a tall tree thick enough that he can't push it over and just hope you can climb higher than he can reach before he gets there.
A later photo taken by the authorities showed the Photographers Ruger Single action lying on the ground with the hammer back.
He'd realized the danger too late and managed to draw his Single Action and cock it but didn't live long enough to get a shot off.
You should always try to stay higher than the Bear, and if you have no other choice but to run your only chance is manueverability.
The Bears weight adds to his speed in a downhil run but he can't change direction quickly.
If you get an opening run uphill and he'll be much slower and tire of the chase if you are lucky.
Otherwise Find a tall tree thick enough that he can't push it over and just hope you can climb higher than he can reach before he gets there.
bluestarlizzard
Member
i don't understand about the cubs though? couldn't they take them to a wildlife rescue organization?
from what i understand all they need is two or three days with mom to get the collostrum, after that they can be bottle fed.
from what i understand all they need is two or three days with mom to get the collostrum, after that they can be bottle fed.
I heard just the opposite. I heard that bears can run up hill very easily, almost like a human climbing a ladder or going up steep stairsteps using hands and feet.
On the other hand, bear going downhill has a heavy backside, he risks going head over heals, or heals over head i suppose, whereas a human can run downhill very quickly and easily.
Of course the key seems to be to 1.)Let the bears know you are there through noise as you approach, many bear attacks come when a bear is suprised and feels it must fight, 2.) Instill a fear of man into bears through hunting them. Bears view humans as a dinner provider at best, and dinner itself at worst.
On the other hand, bear going downhill has a heavy backside, he risks going head over heals, or heals over head i suppose, whereas a human can run downhill very quickly and easily.
Of course the key seems to be to 1.)Let the bears know you are there through noise as you approach, many bear attacks come when a bear is suprised and feels it must fight, 2.) Instill a fear of man into bears through hunting them. Bears view humans as a dinner provider at best, and dinner itself at worst.
bluestarlizzard,
To what end?
The bear population in that area is suffiently high. In fact, it might be too high, as there wasn't enough berry crop for all the bears this year. This bear performed it's duties as a foodgatherer poorly the law of the wild means this bear wouldn't be around much longer, same with her cubs. The key to more bears is not having more living individuals, but by having more habitat available in which bears can live. As long as you have some bears, they will see to it that enough bears soon fill up the area.
Even if the bear population was really really low for some reason, say disease, or trying to reintroduce them or something, bears that were human handled as cubs arent' good for being introduced back into the wild.
So that leaves raising the cubs for zoos or circuses, and they for the most part raise their own animals. People seem to be against zoos going out and catching animals in the wild just to bring back for folks to look at, whereas keeping and breeding animals that have been in captivity for generations is somehow better.
To what end?
The bear population in that area is suffiently high. In fact, it might be too high, as there wasn't enough berry crop for all the bears this year. This bear performed it's duties as a foodgatherer poorly the law of the wild means this bear wouldn't be around much longer, same with her cubs. The key to more bears is not having more living individuals, but by having more habitat available in which bears can live. As long as you have some bears, they will see to it that enough bears soon fill up the area.
Even if the bear population was really really low for some reason, say disease, or trying to reintroduce them or something, bears that were human handled as cubs arent' good for being introduced back into the wild.
So that leaves raising the cubs for zoos or circuses, and they for the most part raise their own animals. People seem to be against zoos going out and catching animals in the wild just to bring back for folks to look at, whereas keeping and breeding animals that have been in captivity for generations is somehow better.
Gator
Member
I'm angry at the hunter for getting himself in that position. Sure, bear attacks happen, but most could be avoided by using common sense and staying alert.
bluestarlizzard
Member
didn't know that, akodo.
Cosmoline
Member
From the description it sounds like that sow and her cubs were unlikely to make it through the winter anyway. A sow that's starving in DECEMBER is not going to make it through, certainly not with cubs. We're only just getting into the serious part of winter up here.
Couldn't find a make on the weapon used.
How could he have avoided this? A starving sow during hibernation season is very high on the list of dangerous animals. Part of small game hunting often involves brush busting. It's just one of the risks involved in living here.
True for a charging moose, but bear can turn on a dime. Even the big ones can move like a mix of Jesse Owens with a few Chuck Nori thrown in for good measure. You can't outrun one unless it's shoulder is busted or it's not really trying to catch you. The whole uphill/downhill thing is a myth too. They can charge down scree or up it way better than a man can. I think some of the myths come from their little bluff charges or the thing they do smacking the ground and huffing.
As far as this "surprise" thing I never buy it. This is an animal that can smell if you've been in the area a week after the fact. Let alone if you're walking around near it. They react with aggression if you intrude too close. It has nothing to do with surprise. Besides, this time of year I wouldn't bet my life on a sow's dislike for human flesh. She'll eat you up to keep from starving.
Gator
Member
You know where my shoes have been? I should be more careful where I leave them!
***??
Hmmm...care to enlighten us how he might have avoided the bear? Have you ever been to Alaska, let alone Kodiak? Nice of you to judge a situation which you probably have zero knowledge about.
Happy New Year to all (getting back into THR spirit)...
Michael
Hmmm...care to enlighten us how he might have avoided the bear? Have you ever been to Alaska, let alone Kodiak? Nice of you to judge a situation which you probably have zero knowledge about.
Happy New Year to all (getting back into THR spirit)...
Michael
MachIVshooter
Member
A bear can run about twice as fast as a world class sprinter, and has better traction and stability than us bipeds. Also, virtually all other mammals have more stamina than we do. I'd say the odds of being able to outrun a bear bent on killing you are considerably lower than winning any lottery jackpot.
bluestarlizzard
Member
i will say that if i see an angry bear coming at me i think i will be shooting first and asking questions later. as an animal lover i feel bad for the bear and her cubs, but folks, life is life, and we all (bears and humans alike) do what we can to protect that life.
cassandrasdaddy
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wonder what the other guys are gonna say next time he goes unny hunting with the weatherby mag slung on other shoulder just in case
my hats off to him for having prescence of mind to have right gun and nads to use it
my hats off to him for having prescence of mind to have right gun and nads to use it
Roswell 1847
member
Yep but they run out of steam quickly on an uphill run.
I've watched videos showing Grizzly traveling uphill. After a short time they are barely moving trying to conserve energy.
Bears are sprinters not long range broken field runners. Their size works against them.
As I said "If you are Lucky", and have managed to elude the bear in its downhill rush.
If you keep going downhill you'll run out of hill before he runs out of steam, and you have no chance at all on level ground.
If a Bear is enraged you are probably toast, but since Bears normally weigh food value against energy expenditure they won't waste time on prey that they'd have to use much energy to catch.
They are Omnivores not Carnivores, they don't need meat from mammals to survive (excluding the Polar Bear) and it makes up only a small portion of their intake,fish of course providing much more of their Protein.
They aren't much interested in Primates as a food source, but will eat you if they are hungry enough, and kill you if you make a nuisance of yourself then eat you to avoid wasting the meat and to replace energy.
jrfoxx
Member
Best part of the article is the comments section.Sounds like quite a few of the commenters would fit right in around here....(the land of fruits and nuts).a few are moderate, on opposite sides of the debate, but most are EXTREME to one side or the other.Crazy....
Gator
Member
Hmmm...isn't that what you are doing?
Happy New Year!
You're in Cook County, IL? That's what? Chicago? Lots of brown bears in the windy city, are there?
The hunter was hunting in Kodiak, AK?
You know all about it, do you? Would you regale us with your deep woods bear hunting anecdotes, please?
Kudos to the hunter. He obviously knew what he was doing.
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