Boy Killed by Bear in American Fork Canyon

The Associated Press ^ | June 18th, 2007 | Courtney Orton

[mware]

Hope you dont mind me sharing this story again, it would make Jim Bridges smile.

A Waterloo man and his dog made a harrowing escape from the clutches of a vicious black bear Thursday while portaging near Wawa, Ont.

Tom Tilley, 55, killed the nearly 200-pound bear by jumping on its back and stabbing the aggressive animal with a six-inch hunting knife after his dog alerted him and distracted the bear.

"Love is a very powerful emotion and my thought right away was, 'You're not going to kill my dog,' " Tilley said yesterday.

"I really consider my dog a hero. Without that first warning I would have had the bear clamping down on my neck."

Tilley had planned on spending 12 days portaging through the area near Wawa with his American Staffordshire, Sam.

Four days into the trip, as he was making his third trip back to the water near Abbey Lake to retrieve his gear, he heard his dog growl and noticed the bear closing in on him. He said he did what he's been taught to do when a bear is close -- he starting waving his arms and slowing started backing away from the animal.

The bear moved off the trail, but a few seconds later reappeared, cutting off Tilley's escape route.

"That's when I knew I had a serious problem . . . I was lunch," he said.

Sam, who was behind Tilley before the bear moved up the trail, was now between the bear and his owner. Instead of taking an aggressive stance, the dog stood sideways blocking the bear's route.

"The bear took a few steps down the trail and clamped its mouth on the back of my dog," Tilley said. "By attracting the bear's attention like that and distracting the bear from me it gave me the quick opportunity I needed to run around to the back of the bear, get on its back and with my knife start stabbing it."

Tilley had recently purchased the knife that would save his life after reading the story of Jacqueline Perry, the young Cambridge doctor who was killed by a bear last September.

Perry's husband attempted to fend off the animal with a Swiss Army Knife -- the only weapon he had.

"When I read the report about her death, it really hit home to me that these things are possible," Tilley said.

"I owe her husband a real debt of gratitude because if I hadn't heard her story and got that knife, I wouldn't be telling this story."

After making sure the animal was dead, Tilley realized he had suffered a wound to his hand and Sam had two puncture marks on his back. He needed to get help, but was a two-day portage away from civilization.

Dragging his canoe across the short portage, Tilley paddled for about an hour before he came across a pair of Americans who happened to have a satellite phone.

They called for help and two hours later, a cargo plane arrived to take Tilley back to Wawa for medical attention.

He was treated and released from hospital.

News of his feat passed quickly through the small community, with a population of just over 3,000.

"He had a lot of cojones to do what he did," said Brenda Grundt, who operates the local news site Wawa-news.com and drove Tilley two hours back to where he'd left his van after the incident.

LUCKY TO HAVE KNIFE

"It's pretty amazing. Here's a guy that wouldn't be here if he hadn't happened to have a knife on him."

As for Tilley, it wasn't until he was back in his van alone with Sam that he took in the gravity of the situation.

"I just thanked God I was alive and that my dog was alive and cried a bit, but they were tears of thanks and relief," he said.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has sent the bear's body to Guelph and Ottawa for testing.

"It's very unusual for a bear to attack a person (and) pretty amazing this gentleman was able to kill it just with a knife," said Jolanta Kowalski, spokes-person for the ministry.

Because Wawa doesn't have a veterinarian's office and a specialist wasn't available to treat his hand, Tilley decided to push through and make the long journey home that night.

Back in Waterloo, news of his experience trickled back to amazed friends and family. Despite the danger, Tilley said the incident hasn't erased his love of the outdoors.

"My daughter says I'm not allowed to go up there anymore," he said with a laugh. " But I left my canoe there knowing I'll have to go back to get it."

[GladesGuru]

Bear pepper spray does, indeed, work.

Use of it against an attacking bear saves the bear the bother of remembering to bring his pepper mill to season his meal of Liberal Long Pig.

[GladesGuru]

Such callous disregard for public safety is not limited to bear program bureaucrats. Here in FloriDUH, the PantherPersons discussed moving their “problem panthers” to another state. That state was too smart to fall for their scam.

Go to www.EvergladesInstitute.org - click on ‘panther’, then click on ‘learn how politics trumps science’, and look up the leaked interagency emails posted there.

[kanawa]

Thanks mware.

God’s grace, beyond seeing my dog and I get out in more or less one piece,
extended to the re-establishing of contact with my son and grandson in Alberta.
We had both done some moving around and lost track of each other.
Sam and my story spread out west, my son heard about it
and was able to get hold of me through media contacts.

I’m heading out in a couple of weeks to visit them.
I’ve never met my 10 year old grandson, so you can imagine my anticipation.
They’re living in Fort McMurray. Right in the tar sands area.
That should be interesting to see as well.

[GladesGuru]

“First thought I had was to wonder how much food he had in the tent with him.”

Second thought was that he was food. Fixed it for you. ;-)

[Suzy Quzy]

The boy screamed “something’s dragging me”....yet the father didn’t yell “I’m COMING”!! and follow his stepson’s VOICE?? Kind of weird.

[Sundog]

Close friend of mine lost his wife to a bear attack up in Alaska, and he almost lost his own life. With a 44 he stopped a bear charging him, and the bear slid right up to his feet on the rocks where he was. By the time you are close enough to be sure to get a shot into the skull or the heart, you still have to get out of the way after shooting.

[george76]

Thank you.

Yes. I read the thread when it was up.

Our prayers still go out.

[ZULU]

“Black bears, which are found in 27 states, are “generally less aggressive than other bears and don’t prey on humans,” said Stewart Breck, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Fort Collins, Colo. “

These people are always making excuses for a predator acting like a preadtor/

Looks like they used coonhounds to get it - probably Plotts.

[ZULU]

” I pack in the spring summer and fall, and build rifles in the winter. “

Muzzle-loaders?

Sounds like you really are ready for bear!!!!

I figure I could get 8 rounds out of my garand pretty quick - that could probably do in an emergency. Never had a wildcat cartrige gun - looks like it would be interesting to try one.

[mware]

Wonderful I am glad that you have been reunited with your son and grandson. Man do you have a story to tell him.

[riverrunner]

“Close friend of mine lost his wife to a bear attack up in Alaska, and he almost lost his own life. With a 44 he stopped a bear charging him, and the bear slid right up to his feet on the rocks where he was. By the time you are close enough to be sure to get a shot into the skull or the heart, you still have to get out of the way after shooting.”

A good friend of mine stopped a charging grizzly with one shot from a 30-06. It slid to within 15 feet of him. He is British, though, and still thought that “gun control” was a good idea.

[Fawn]

Why would people put themselves in harms way. Why camp in their territory?

[PapaBear3625]

Why would people put themselves in harms way. Why camp in their territory?

Why go to work in cities, where you put yourself in harms way from muggers by encroaching on their territory?

Some people decide they will enjoy nature, even at the risk of being mugged by a bear. The smarter ones are prepared to deal with predators if predators show up

[george76]

“gun control” was a good idea.

Wyoming Alan Simpson : The ability to shoot straight !

[george76]

He and the other lying liberals are part of the problem :

“generally less aggressive than other bears and don’t prey on humans,” said Stewart Breck

[rodeo-mamma]

I can understand what you are talking about, I live in California. A few years ago I was camping at the beach, I remember being worried about mountain lions. There have been many attacks by mountain lions in California in recent years. I think it is ridiculous that this is even a concern near the beach. As you know, in California we tend to attract and breed the animal rights types.

[Fawn]

But in this instance you are the predator.....

[oldenuff2no]

Not muzzle loaders, although I have built a few of them too. I put together custom bolt action hunting rifles and long range competition rifles. Upon retiring from the military I attended a local college and completed their gunsmithing course. It's not enough of a business to keep up with the bills but it does fill in when I'm not in the mountains working. I've read some comments in here about using a handgun of bear. This is not a good idea, not a good plan, and is not a good bet for survival. If that is all you have then it is much better than nothing and you might come out OK. A 357 is at best marginal in an already “ify” situation. I carry a 45LC loaded with the corbon +P ammo. This brings it up into the 454 ballistic category. The handgun with this ammo will almost rip your wrist off when you pull the trigger but is still marginal on stopping a charging bear.
ZULU.
The 06 round is a good round and the garand is a good rifle but you do’t need to worry about cycle rate and how many you can put down the barrel. Hunting bear or stopping a problem bear is all about where you put the first one. If you are hunting as soon as you shoot that bear is either going to drop to the ground if you have broken his neck or head shot him, or he is going to be gone. If the bear is attacking you will probably only get one quick shot and you had better make it count. This story is very different. Bear very seldom attack people in this manner. I have only been involved in two bear attacks in over twenty years of working, packing, hunting, and camping in the mountains. I usually do everything wrong according to the Game Wardens. I don't hang my food in trees and I don't cook and eat several hundred feet from where I sleep. Unless I'm hunting and out alone, I always have dogs with me. If a bear is harassing my horses and mules I shoot them. I have a legal right to protect my livestock. Even this is a rare situation. Wild Black Bears are notorious chickens and usually leave as fast as they can if they know you are in the area. This bear is what I call a garbage bear. They have lost their fear of people and would rather eat people food than scrounge for their natural food. Even these bears usually won't mess with a person unless you get in the way. The only thing that makes since to me is that the kid had some food in the tent with him. I feel sorry for that family but when you are visiting the bears you better be able and ready to take care of your own security.

[PapaBear3625]

But in this instance you are the predator.....

No, I'm very unwilling prey.

A predator is a critter that actively goes out looking for prey, and will attack prey that poses no threat to the predator