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Why a Bear Attacked a Teen In His Sleep
National Geographic ^ | 10 Jul, 2017 | Sarah Gibbens

Posted on 07/11/2017 3:09:18 PM PDT by MtnClimber

While sleeping under the stars in the mountains near Boulder County, Colorado, on Sunday morning, a 19-year-old camp counselor was awoken by what he initially perceived to be a loud crunching sound. The sound, it turned out, was a black bear pressing onto his head as it dragged him from his sleeping bag.

Speaking with local Denver news station KMGH-TV, the teen, who was identified only as Dylan, claimed he believed the crunching sound was caused by the bear's teeth digging into his skull.

As the bear tugged at him, Dylan and the four other campers sleeping by the lake tried to fight the bear off. He estimates the bear dragged him a total of 12 feet before he was able to pry himself free.

Dylan teaches wilderness survival at the camp and knew the best way to fend off a black bear attack is to fight back. He and the other campers attempted to scare the bear away before it eventually left. (When confronted with other bears, such as grizzlies, experts recommend curling into a ball.)

The 19-year-old was treated at a nearby hospital and received staples for his wounds.

"I'm not afraid of the bears. I'm not afraid of sleeping outside anymore. You just have to be aware and respect the animals," Dylan told KMGH-TV.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalgeographic.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: bear; bearattack; boulder; bouldercounty
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To: MtnClimber; marktwain

That was predatory/scavenging behavior.


21 posted on 07/11/2017 3:37:10 PM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: MtnClimber
I don't know why the bear attacked the young man and despite the headline still don't. However, I do know that when I was a Scout leader we warned the campers not to use any shampoo which smelled of fruit like, say, strawberries. Bears will be attracted to your scalp should you do so.

Based on the article one would think this Dylan knew that and practiced safe and proper hygiene. One thing, though, it is doubtful the bear attacked him for no reason.

22 posted on 07/11/2017 3:39:34 PM PDT by Robwin
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To: dangerdoc
As long as the bears stay shy about people, no harm, no foul...

Not since they ruined bear hunting in CO. They are over running their habitat and very bold.

23 posted on 07/11/2017 3:41:01 PM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: MtnClimber

Reminds me of the movie ‘Backcountry’ only Dylan faired much better than the gent in that story which I believe was based on an actual event. Good movie, like jaws in the woods.


24 posted on 07/11/2017 3:41:03 PM PDT by slouper (LWRC SPR 5.56)
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To: MtnClimber
"'I'm not afraid of the bears. I'm not afraid of sleeping outside anymore. You just have to be aware and respect the animals,' Dylan told KMGH-TV."

Was he previously unaware of bears and did not respect them prior to having one chew on his skull? What do his words of wisdom mean?

25 posted on 07/11/2017 3:41:21 PM PDT by Flag_This (Liberals are locusts.)
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To: MarMema

“Just wait till the wolves start grabbing kids. “

wolves need to eat too, you know ...


26 posted on 07/11/2017 3:41:42 PM PDT by catnipman ( Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: MileHi
That was predatory/scavenging behavior.

Yes. Old bear found a sleeping snack.

27 posted on 07/11/2017 3:43:05 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

A bear food commercial:
“You know it is good when you hear a crunching sound”


28 posted on 07/11/2017 3:43:12 PM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: TigersEye
This has been a very wet spring and summer so far.

Not so much in South Park. Dry as hell.

29 posted on 07/11/2017 3:44:11 PM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: MtnClimber

40 yrs old? Wow. If true maybe the bear was grumpy.


30 posted on 07/11/2017 3:45:54 PM PDT by cornfedcowboy
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To: MarMema

IMHO there is no scientific, cultural, intelligent, logical, or any other reason for the classic nincompoopery called rewilding.

Our forefathers knew what they were doing when they got rid of dangerous wild animals that eat humans and livestock.

Maybe one exception would be the wholesale slaughter of buffalo, but then they would have been competition to the livestock industry. Still a large herd would have benefited the Indians considerably.


31 posted on 07/11/2017 3:46:24 PM PDT by wita (Always and forever, under oath in defense of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.)
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To: MarMema

“Just wait till the wolves start grabbing kids.”

...so? Don’t forget, these leftist rarely have kids...and beyond that, they look at ‘spawn’ as they call kids, as a disease (to the planet), needing to be eradicated.


32 posted on 07/11/2017 3:48:13 PM PDT by BobL (In Honor of the NeverTrumpers, I declare myself as FR's first 'Imitation NeverTrumper')
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To: Eddie01
Or perhaps he was menstruating.

That seems to be the excuse whenever a female is attacked by a wild animal.

33 posted on 07/11/2017 3:48:50 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
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To: MtnClimber

Large, old male bears are dangerous. They go for the easy score. So are young displaced males.


34 posted on 07/11/2017 3:49:03 PM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: MarMema

5000 acres isn’t a very big area when it comes to large predators. Wolves,bear,and cougars can travel out of that area in less than half a day easy.


35 posted on 07/11/2017 3:51:39 PM PDT by cornfedcowboy
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To: MtnClimber


36 posted on 07/11/2017 3:52:21 PM PDT by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
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To: dhs12345

My friend that raises and trains Karelian Bear Dogs for search and rescue says they are fast enough that a bear can't lay a paw on them.

He recently told me about a KBD that killed a pit bull that threatened a child in its family.

37 posted on 07/11/2017 3:53:07 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: MtnClimber
I don't know why the bear attacked the young man and despite the headline still don't know. However, I do know that when I was a Scout leader we warned the campers not to use any shampoo which smell of fruit like, say, strawberries. Bears will be attracted to your scalp should you do so.

Based on the article one would think this Dylan knew that and practiced safe and proper hygiene. One thing, though, is that it is doubtful the bear attacked him for no reason.

38 posted on 07/11/2017 3:57:41 PM PDT by Robwin
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To: blueunicorn6

Lol! I have been ‘greeted’ by a few of ‘em up here but it sure wasn’t at any WalMart!


39 posted on 07/11/2017 3:59:44 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: MileHi

It’s amazing how much difference there can be in weather patterns between northern CO and southern CO. Also between the Front Range and western CO. Sometimes the jet stream barely dips south across the Wyoming line and can leave the whole state dry while the Rockies to the north are soaked by frequent thunderstorms.

This was in Boulder cty though, which is only six miles south of me, so I’m sure it has been getting about as much rain as we have here. The article never really did say why he was attacked it just posited a bunch of speculative hypotheses. Which is fair because who knows what a bear is thinking. Might have been a territorial issue in this old boar’s mind. But the title suggested they were going to tell us why.


40 posted on 07/11/2017 4:00:06 PM PDT by TigersEye (Investigate the Awan brothers and Wasserman Schultz)
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