Retired police officer recounts bear mauling

Gazette ^ | July 24, 2009 | GREG TUTTLE

[george76]

Jerry Ruth saw the grizzly for just a fraction of a second before it was on him.

Within seconds, the 275-pound animal had crushed the Wyoming man's jaw when it bit him in the face, fractured his rib and punctured his lung and left deep bite wounds in his calf and scratches across his back.

Ruth grabbed for the .41-caliber magnum revolver he was carrying in a hip holster and relied on his training and experience as a police officer to save his life. He fired three times, saving three bullets in case his first shots failed.

Ruth said he caught only a glimpse of the bear before the attack.

"Like a flash the bear came out from under some sage brush and she was on me," Ruth wrote. "Grabbed my lower face in her jaw and I could hear the bones breaking."

Ruth said thoughts of his family came to his mind as the bear attacked. The couple has three adult children.

"I next became aware that she was off of me," Ruth wrote. "I was on the ground. She was squaring off to take another charge

Ruth said he carries his revolver with him anytime he goes into the backcountry around his house. The habit probably saved her husband's life, Cindy Ruth said.

In such a sudden attack, she said, bear spray probably would not have been effective against the mother bear.

"I think the only way we are not at a funeral right now is because he had his gun," she said.

[george76]

Forgot those little Brass Bells ?

[the invisib1e hand]

"Like a flash the bear came out from under some sage brush and she was on me," Ruth wrote.

If he said it came out from under a park bench I wouldn't have believed it.

[LucyT]

Look! They're making those little bells in different colors, now.

[JRandomFreeper]

He didn't have enough a) cattle b) dogs c) earthmoving equipment. When the earth is finally paved, bear attacks will be a thing of the past.

/johnny

[Grammy]

LOL

Bells..... yeah, that’s the ticket.

[LucyT]

[JRandomFreeper]

.41-caliber magnum revolver

Light loads. 155mm autoloader is appropriate for back-country where you've never been before. Follow up with mortars and paving machines.

/johnny

[bobby.223]

I think treadwell bought ‘em all up a few years back, kinda hard to find now.....

[fso301]

A retired Baltimore cop certainly understands situational awareness in the city but having been in Montana only about 12 months, I wonder if he knew what to be careful about when in the wilderness?

[proud_yank]

He’s VERY lucky he was even able to get a shot off during an attack.