Nightmares comes true as grizzly bear mauls sleeping hunters

Vancouver Sun ^ | 10/18/2009 | Katie Mercer

[Saije]

It's every hunter's worst nightmare.

You've nestled into your tent for the night when you're awakened by the sound of a bear charging. Within seconds it's on you, teeth sinking into flesh as you fight for your life.

"I went into survival mode as she batted me around, biting me," Ken Scown, 36, said Saturday. "I was kind of waiting for the bite to the head and neck and it would all be over."

Scown and his pal Jeff Herbert were three days into an 11-day hunting trip near Canal Flats in the East Kootenays region of B. C. when a grizzly attacked them Wednesday night.

The bear — believed to be a sow — charged the tent as the experienced hunters from Nelson scrambled to sit up.

Within seconds it was on top of Scown as Herbert struggled to get a round into his rifle.

The grizzly was "thrashing wildly" as Herbert tried to shove it off his pal to clear a shot. He pulled the trigger only to hear a click — the shell wasn't properly in the chamber.

"I was screaming so hard and yelling at Jeff to shoot the bear, shoot it," Scown recalled. "I couldn't hear much else other than my heartbeat pounding through my chest."

The bear tore through the tent before Hebert managed to get free and chase it away.***

The men hiked nearly five kilometres back to their trucks, where they could see bear tracks that indicated two animals had been following them that day. "It was totally a predatory attack and not a defensive attack because there was no threat," Herbert said. "Unfortunately we were on the menu that night."

[LegendHasIt]

Joking FRiend, Just joking. Even *I* am not QUITE that stupid.

(At least until I hear something sniffing around the camp.)

Besides that, when I’m out in the woods, it is to get away from people, not get closer to them.... and my only tent wouldn’t hold me AND a rabbit at the same time, much less another human.

[MarineBrat]

Over the last 25 years I've spent a hundred nights in the wilderness, and always slept safe and snug with my trusty old Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 under my pillow. And of course, we're loaded for bear with Federal Cast Core.

Who in the heck unloads their weapons when they sleep in the woods?!?!?!? That's plain stupid!

[The Cajun]

in a western side holster, though, of course.

The reason I said shoulder holster was because I would have a heavy blade 14" Bowie on my belt.
Agree about the Blackhawk.45 Colt. Generally when I go in the woods/swamp down here (Louisiana) I take my old lever action Winchester 30-30 or .44 Marlin lever action carbine, Redhawk .44 (7 1/2" barrel) and 14" heavy Bowie.

[proud_yank]

If you’re going into Canada, its a good idea to check. I live up north now (AK), never heard of people carrying hams. A friend of mine has an ACR locator beacon we bring on remote trips, and I want to get one of my own. We’ve rented sat phones before too on fly-in trips, which have proven to be VERY helpful (made a call, and found out a front with 85+ mph winds was coming. Got out early!).

I carry a compact ‘laser flare’, which has a range of 5 miles in my pack, and a marine radio on the water.

[proud_yank]

LOL Appologies! Anymore, you just don’t know. I remember one guy telling me about taking a few ‘sound shots’ on a hunting trip. I asked what they were, and he said he heard a noise off in the brush so he put a few rounds there.

[Atchafalaya]

I carry a S&W 29 .44 mag in a shoulder holster every time I go in the woods; 225 gr. Speer jacketed hollow points in front of H110. Bang!

[Slings and Arrows]

There is no amount of money that you could pay me to fire that thing...but I’d love to watch somebody else try.

[The Cajun]

Marlin 1895G in 45-70

Nice, I'm a lever gun "nut" (Winchesters, Marlins and even a Henry), but don't have that one. Probably watched too many cowboy movies when I was a kid ;^)

[BigCinBigD]

Good choice. But if you kill the bear, there are some in the administration who would sue you on behalf of the bears family.

[The Cajun]

I use regular old Remington .44 flat nose 250 gr. or Remington 250 gr. hollow points, nothing exotic. I like things that won't blow up if I use them in my Marlin .44 lever action carbine.

[familyop]

"The reason I said shoulder holster was because I would have a heavy blade 14" Bowie on my belt."

That's a good reason. :-)

[oldenuff2no]

Sleeping with a cocked revolver in your hand isn’t too smart. You wouldn’t be doing that in one of my camps. You would be sleeping in a camp all by yourself. I’ve done a lot of packing and hunting the back country in big bear land. I carry a big bore revolver but I always have a 12 gage 3” mag stoked with slugs handy.

[oldenuff2no]

Try 320gr corbon 45LC+P. They go out at about 1300FPS.

[LegendHasIt]

As I told the other guy... I was joking.
Geeze, even *I* am not that stupid.

That I even know what a .454 Casull is should have been a tipoff that I was not dumb enough to actually do that.

But you don’t have to worry, anyway; I’d never be in “one of your camps”. When I’m out in the woods, I get as far away from other humans as I can.

I’d rather be eaten by a grizzly than have to hang out with a bunch of people that camp out together, or need a guide to tell them what to do.

[oldenuff2no]

Does the term flatlander of city slicker ring a bell???
There are those of us who were raised in the mountains and worked out there too.
Hunting isn't dangerous, it idiots from the cities and flat country who don't know what they are doing that makes it interesting at times. I've found them when they are lost, hauled them out injured and hauled them out dead.
I've had a couple close calls with big bears, and an almost lethal argument with a P O’d 500 lb black bear.
I'll take my chances any day with a pack string of mules and a couple of dogs in the wilderness. The animals that live in some of the cities bother me a whole lot more. If a bear, cat, or wolf is messing with me or my animals I can shoot it and ride off. No big deal. People aren't so easy. I am totally comfortable 20 miles from the nearest road or person. I'm always armed and with two dogs and a string of mules hearing and smelling everything around me I sleep like a baby. You put me in a city where I can't openly carry and I don't have my animals and I'm not a happy camper.

[oldenuff2no]

Good for you. I’ve hauled in a lot of freight, guided a lot of hunters and hauled out a lot of game. If you have the gonads to pack out a bull elk or bull moose by yourself then more power to you. Even a nasty old bear has to be packed out if that is what you are hunting. In Canada if you are coming in from the USA, you have to either have a guide or hunt with a resident. A couple of the western states are talking about making it the same way.
We just got back from Colorado, two nice bulls and two big bucks. We leave for Idaho next week.

[Atchafalaya]

My handloads would no way damage your levergun...Marlin. My S&W 29 is still tight after 1000 or so rounds through it. I have two loads, the Speer 225 grain JHP behind H110 and a 240 grain lead wadcutter behind Unique. I did make a load for a Speer 240 grain JFP using H110, overpenetrated deer; surefire big pig killer.

[Atchafalaya]

Got your stuff together eh...LOL!!! Bring some Lea & Perrins
so the critters can enjoy you!!

[LegendHasIt]

Actually, I haven’t hunted four legged critters in 30 years. Won’t do it anymore, unless I absolutely have to, to eat.

But I do love exploring the wilderness. Love Colorado, Especially the San Juans.

And I have done a good bit in Alaska (mostly Denali area) as well. One of these days I’d like to go back there, go even further north, and do some of the NWT and Yukon area of Canada on the way.... But I’ll skip Canada if I have to leave my armaments at the border OR hire a guide.

‘Course the way things are going, They may not be legal in the US much longer either.

[oldenuff2no]

We hunt 4 states a year and spend a bunch of money hauling horses/mules and gear. About every other year we end up assisting in a search and rescue operation someplace. The kicker is that I am disabled. I have been packing for 40 years and I know what I’m doing and where I’m going. If we are going to a new area then we take a summer trip with the horses and scout the area ahead of time.
I’m not Danial Boone or Rambo. I have never seen a professional hunter carry a lot of fancy hardware but they do know how to use what they carry. I’ve spent well over a thousand nights in a tent in bear country. I’m safer out there than I am anywhere else.