Picture from From facebook.com/wardho Ward and Jami A young Canadian was killed in what appears to be a predatory black bear attack in British Columbia, near Mckenzie, Canada. From vancouverson.com:
Posted on 05/16/2015 1:05:46 PM PDT by marktwain
Picture from From facebook.com/wardho Ward and Jami
A young Canadian was killed in what appears to be a predatory black bear attack in British Columbia, near Mckenzie, Canada. From vancouverson.com:
O'Connor slept outdoors Saturday night while his fiancée slept in their motorhome. After O'Connor's fiancée woke up Sunday she exited the motorhome, realized something was wrong and went to get help, said McLintock, in a news release.
When RCMP and conservation officers arrived, they shot and killed one lone wolf and one male black bear that was about 300 pounds in weight.
Gabrielle Louisa Parker On my, what a scary and exciting experience. you guys have any weapons for protection?
Danny O'Connor rushed to the campground and started searching through the bush for his son.
"I wanted to get out there and see if I could save him," he said.
"When I got there the bear was there," standing over his son's body, he said. "I couldn't go closer."It takes a brave man to rush to the scene of a bear attack, unarmed. With Canadian gun laws, it is likely that he was unable to borrow a gun from a neighbor. We can never know if a firearm could have been used to save Ward. The attack may have been so sudden as to prevent any resistance. Ms. Wallace has not mentioned that she heard any commotion in the night.
"SENECA LAKE, Ariz. — A man out camping with his brother woke up with one heck of a headache, only to discover that a bear was biting him in the head.
Thanks to his quick reactions — and to the handgun he was carrying — Rodney Black, 51, will be OK
Black and his brother were sleeping at their campsite at Seneca Lake, Ariz., when Black said he felt an intense pain in his head. He said the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, blood was gushing everywhere and he couldn't see a thing.
His said his brother screamed out "Bear!” and he managed to get out his handgun and shoot the animal dead.
"I don't know where I hit him," Black told the Arizona Republic. "He went down on the first shot and I emptied my revolver into him. I knew that I needed to make that first shot, or I was in more trouble.
Now, that there is some funny stuff. If I wanted those I’d have to buy them myself. I have to supply my own tools and equipment heh.
Heh. Many bears can hit 35mph, so I guess I’d rather have my .50cal Beowulf w/ 435gr HPs. Why people go out into known bear/wolf/cat woods unarmed, proves they have a death wish. I always have my Kimber .45, and all my rifles have slings, so I never lean one against a tree and go do something else.
IF he had a handgun, he might have survived, but not likely
Having shot several bears with hand guns killing them all I find handguns to be every effective. The antis don’t like them because it shows them to be useful and it kills the bear.
Convince people handguns are not a effective tool then there is less reason to own one.
Best personal story ever! It should be made into a Disney movie.
The smug libtards are rejoicing, no doubt.
It’s been seven years since I’ve been up in the mountains, outside of Canmore and the Banff townsite, so I’ve forgotten the distance for bear spray. Even at 30 feet, there is little time. There are several other things that I forgot to mention about hiking in K-Country and the National Parks. That is to always wear bells, or something that makes noise as you hike. Unless the bear is ravenous or rabid, they want to meet us even less than we want to meet them. Bells give them a warning to clear the area. Dogs, off leash, unless they are bear dogs, are not a good idea. They are more likely to provoke a bear than scare one off.
The dead man was asleep when attacked, so the question is, were you asleep when any of those bears woke you up and you shot them? Since his fiancée heard nothing, the bear must have been upon him before he could even yell.
It is one thing to be awake and aware, and able to aim your gun, it is quite another to waken with a bear six inches from your face or, biting your throat. I imagine that even finding your gun could be a challenge at that point.
The point is not whether handguns are a good thing or bad but if the dead man could have even got off a shot, if he had a handgun. THAT is highly unlikely.
That is why I included the incident from Arizona, where the man was sleeping, woke with his head in a bear’s mouth, drew his revolver and killed the bear.
I think that Ward’s mistake was sleeping out by the fire, instead of inside the motorhome.
But, I was not there. When I was on a hunting trip to Alaska, I kept a .357 on a lanyard attached to my wrist, while I was sleeping, in a tent.
Given the situation, where Ward very likely was bit before he woke up, I doubt that a bear banger, or bear spray, would have done much good, either.
Not unlikely at it has been done before.
SENECA LAKE, Ariz. — A man out camping with his brother woke up with one heck of a headache, only to discover that a bear was biting him in the head.
Thanks to his quick reactions — and to the handgun he was carrying — Rodney Black, 51, will be OK
Black and his brother were sleeping at their campsite at Seneca Lake, Ariz., when Black said he felt an intense pain in his head. He said the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, blood was gushing everywhere and he couldn’t see a thing.
His said his brother screamed out “Bear!” and he managed to get out his handgun and shoot the animal dead.
“I don’t know where I hit him,” Black told the Arizona Republic. “He went down on the first shot and I emptied my revolver into him. I knew that I needed to make that first shot, or I was in more trouble.
Being a former Canadian how much handgun experience do you have many people have save themselves from bear attacks with a handguns .
It a myth promoted by the anti’s that handguns are not effective they have proven many times to be effective.
The guy with the ‘Bionic Boots’ can outrun a co-worker, so he is safe. FWIW, the creator of the boots is working on 45 MPH boots apparently.
All joking aside, I would suggest that you don’t visit any Canadian mountain parks. Assuming you are even allowed to bring your weapons across the border, police and Park Rangers take a very dim view of guns in National and Provincial parks. I don’t know the process, but during hunting season, Americans can hunt in Canada, thought I doubt in the parks.
AFA visiting the mountain parks, they are usually safe, if you take precautions like I noted in another post. The dead man didn’t. He should have slept inside, where there was some protection from any wild animals.
Bears can move pretty fast, and in the woods one often doesn’t get 30 feet of notice anyways. I’ve never come across one. Smelled them, and had others see them (”Yeah - he was heading your way and then turned to get on the other side of the hill”) The “hill” being 10’ tall and 50’ wide. I never knew he was there - grizzly.
“Dogs, off leash, unless they are bear dogs, are not a good idea. They are more likely to provoke a bear than scare one off.”
I’ve heard that, where the dogs are off in the woods come across the bear, the dog runs back to the owner - with the bear following! I noticed in the photo the dog, but no mention of it it the excerpts.
Also, I guess that black bears will kill you because they are mean and/or hungry. And once they attack they won’t stop unless you are dead (so fight back). Grizzlys usually just attack as they think you are a threat, so if you can’t stop them at first just cover your head and play dead.
With cougars I hear that you are supposed to fight back as they really just want an easy meal.
Looking at his facebook page, I doubt even if a gun somehow magically appeared he would not have used it. Lots of stuff on there about saving the earth, protect the wolves, etc. (Along with the breaking story on how an ex CIA guy says no planes were used during 9-11).
Too bad for his fiance though, they were about to get married.
I wouldn’t even try to bring in a firearm to Canada; the laws kind of killed-off my desire to move up to Nova Scotia before TSHTF here.
Bear meets Man
https://www.thedodo.com/bear-meets-man-1143464422.html
What if you would just rather blow its head off with your Mossberg 500? :-)
Is that little grizzly? I like to hike, but I wouldn’t even go in my yard if I lived anywhere near grizzlies or mountain lions...
Firstly I am a Canadian, not a FORMER Canadian. In fact, since I joined FR, I have explained my handle three or four times. I shan't today. I think my 'About' page is fairly clear on that subject.
Secondly, I am not 'anti' gun. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other about your laws. If your various States and Counties wish to legislate the population to carry a .45 automatic, a .38 police special, a shotgun and an AR-15, more power to them! (Just give me a heads up so I can buy futures in the manufacturers' shares!). The majority of Canadians, especially those whose roots go back to United Empire Loyalist (UEL) times, were not brought up in a gun culture that is the US. Before your head explodes, let me unpack that for you.
The US was founded in bloodshed, through a violent revolution and a healthy distrust of those in authority, figuring that if everyone is armed, no one can usurp power. Less than 40 years later, the US tried to invade Canada, failed and Washington was torched. With Napoleon defeated, and Britain free to fight fully in North America, the US sued for peace, a stalemate. It then warred against Mexico (American immigrants in Texas rebelled against the country that let them settle, declaring their own country and then joining the US). A few years later, over 600,000 Americans killed each other in the civil war. Then the US went to war against the Indians (or Natives, or First Nations, whatever the current phrase is), breaking treaties and driving them onto reservations, those who weren't killed. Let's not forget all the gunplay and lawlessness in the mid-West! Much of all this due to the Democraptic Party's concept of 'Manifest Destiny. (I have not even touched on the war against Spain, as my focus is on the fundamental differences in the founding of the two countries.)
Canada grew from a majority Quebec French country ruled by British, into a mix of both English and Quebec French, with the massive exodus of UELs who had chosen to abide by George III rather than that other George fellow (Washington was his name, I believe). They, included my ancestors from Virginia, who were punted, lost everything, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. Aside from UEL civilians, many British soldiers and sailors who fought in the Revolutionary War settled in Canada. Less than 30 years after the Treaty was signed, the Americans tried to invade Upper Canada three or four times and failed and tried to invade Lower Canada (Quebec) several times and failed. In return for burning York (now Toronto), the Provincial capital of Upper Canada, Washington was put to the torch. Canadian militia supplemented by some British regulars and Natives, defeated US Army regulars. That was the last war against Canada by the US however, it was FAR from the last war in North America by the US.
After things returned to normal, the US continued its wars against the Indians, American immigrants to Mexico rebelled against their hosts, declaring a republic which then became the State of Texas, then America decided to turn on itself, killing over 600,000 fellow countrymen. Meanwhile, north of the border, Canada prospered through trade and agriculture and peace treaties with Natives that were KEPT, so there was no war. Canadians also saw, with growing concern, the mostly Democraptic Party concept of 'Manifest Destiny'. Fear of invasion by a battle hardened, blood thirsty and well equipped US Army, spurred on by 'Manifest Destiny', led to the formation of Canada, as the colonies of Upper Canada (Ontario), Lower Canada (Quebec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick united for a common defence. Unlike the US, founded on a distrust of government, Canada was founded upon the concept of 'responsible government', where the government and its ministers were responsible to an elected House of Commons and an appointed Senate, a government that served as long as it maintained the 'confidence' of the elected Parliament. While no political system is perfect, Canada has done very well under this system, having survived 148 years so far, without a dictator or civil war.
In the latter part of the 19th century, America continued its Westward expansion through broken treaties and Indian wars. Canada expanded Westward through peace treaties and working with people to resolve problems rather than issue ultimatums at the point of a gun. Sure there was the 1870 Red River Rebellion (which resulted in one death) and the 1885 Northwest Rebellion which cost the lives of less than 90 souls, but we didn't lose a whole Cavalry Regiment, like a certain G. A. Custer did in just one afternoon. And BTW, there as no 'gunfight at the OK Corral', no Jesse James, no Younger gang, no Wyatt Earp, etc. in Canada's. There were instead, individual Mounties patrolling towns and the border, working with people rather than issuing ultimatums to keep the peace. Armed American whisky traders were quickly removed from trading with the Natives back to the border.
America was and is, a country founded on and by the threat of the gun. Canada is a country founded on good government. As such, Canadians generally, feel no need for a gun. We do not have the issues with feral youth, nor the ghettos that seem to be the source of so much trouble in the US. Guns, or handguns are very rare. Yes, "if guns are outlawed, only the outlaws have guns.", but there are so few handguns in this country, and possession laws are so stiff, that unless you are a cop or involved with criminals, you may never see a handgun in your life. In 54 years of living, other than in the holster of a cop, I've personally never seen a handgun. I don't feel my life is unfulfilled without having seen, held or fired a handgun. Of course while there are rough areas of Calgary, there is not the hatred of 'crackas' by blacks, fomented by a leader who hates his country, like you have, where I would feel I need a gun for protection. As I said earlier, my country was formed based on defence against the US, and upon good government. It has so far been successful. My concern in THIS country (Canada, BTW), is that if there were more handguns, the owners would NOT do the responsible thing and train, train, train with them. Too many armed, untrained, irresponsible gun owners (including the criminal element) partyall of a sudden firing their handguns is not a good thing. As there are so few handgun owners and such strict requirements for ownership, one can presume the owners are both responsible and well trained.
BTW, here is a newspaper article that claims that bear spray stops grizzlies better than guns.
Bear spray manufactures and anti gun and hunting types love bear spray and promote it as better.
Does it work, some times is it better depends.
No system is perfect.
So you never used or fired or handled a hand gun so you have no clue what your talking about when they come to their use.
Except what your read.
The rest of your post has nothing to do with bears or bear attacks.
The point is, handguns are restricted weapons in Canada, restricted, as defined in the Criminal Code of Canada. As such, few Canadians have access to handguns. To say that he would have lived, if he had a handgun, is a fanciful flight of supposition. We can play the ‘supposition game’ all day... You could also say that ‘if’ he had a grenade, he could have killed the bear at a distance, or a bazooka, etc... ALL supposition. The fact is, the percentage of people camping in Canada who would be carrying handguns would be well below .00001%. As for the rest of my previous comment, it goes to the mindset of Americans versus Canadians, our different histories that went into developing such mindsets.
Could the man in BC have survived IF he had a handgun?
Perhaps.
IF the bear’s first bite did not render him unable to fire a gun (remember, he made no noise, so he was either already unconscious or his throat bitten so he could make no noise)
IF he knew how to use a handgun,
IF he had it on his person, rather than merely lying near him on the ground where he had to search for it,
IF he had the presence of mind to use it,
IF the bear had not crushed his skull, (luckily for Mr. Black, it didn’t)
IF he could maneuver into a position to unload the gun into the bear
IF...
IF...
IF...
There are a whole lot of circumstances that have to line up just right, for the dead man to have killed the bear. The easiest and smartest way for him to survive, would have been to simple sleep in the trailer, NOT by the fire where the food was cooked.
Given that under Canadian law, handguns are restricted, you use the best means of protection/prevention that are available, bells for when you are hiking, bear bangers to scare the bear away, and as a last, desperate means of escape, bear spray. If you choose to sleep alone, by the fire, in an isolated locale, you are asking for trouble. Unfortunately, this man found it.
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