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."

[BIGLOOK]

“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.”

Sounds like the last time I visited Foggy Bottom.

Aloha George!

Bears will be bears....and lately we've discovered Raccoons are relatives of bears.

[proud_yank]

Electro Bear Guard Fence

Worth having.

[goat granny]

Understandable if gun wasn’t already loaded...night, bear, friend screaming, easy to misload......

[The Cajun]

It’s Canada. Handguns are illegal.

Bears must be happy about that.

[GladesGuru]

What do bears call campers?

Answer: Snack in a sack.

[bobby.223]

dittos to that Lege! (different revolver here though) I use a laynyard also. this kind of event always concerned me and I am surprised we do not hear more about stories like this.

[familyop]

"Each man should have had a loaded .44 or .454 strapped on in a shoulder holster, I don’t give a damn how uncomfortable it may be. Bear country is bear country."

Agreed! But I'll add a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt with special handloads (wide flatnose bullets 280 grains or heavier at about 1100 fps or faster, within safe reloading practices for the Ruger Blackhawk only). ...in a western side holster, though, of course.

Terminal Ballistics

Gun Notes: The .45 Colt - Dissolving the Myth, Discovering the Legend

Linebaugh Seminar Penetration Tests

Penetration Testing Big Bore Handguns

Heavy Bullets in the .45 Colt

[proud_yank]

It’s Canada. Handguns are illegal.

They're not illegal, just highly regulated. You need a restricted firearms license, and can only shoot them at ranges. Going to/from the range, you have to drive the most direct route. They need to be stored unloaded & locked. Those were the laws when I left there three years ago.

[shibumi]

It was later discovered that the bear belonged to an internet forum composed of wildlife dedicated to the eradication of Pit Hunters.

[familyop]

Hi, george76. Thanks for the ping! If you like revolvers and related ballistics, you might also be interested in the articles linked in comment #27.

[familyop]

You can also be licensed up there for a bear defense weapon and to be restricted to a rural area and routes to that particular area. But it’s still a restriction.

[smokingfrog]

The hunters become the hunted.

[Ronin]

Nope. But to my mind hunters are in the same league with skydivers, bungee jumpers, rodeo riders and those who partake and enjoy other dangerous sports and hobbies.

Very few hunters have to hunt. They do it because they enjoy doing it, and part of the reason they enjoy doing it is for the challenge and the danger.

That being the case, I am not particularly sympathetic when a hunter gets chomped on. If he/she was worried about the bears, he/she could stay home and buy their meat at the supermarket like the rest of us.

The bottom line is if you enjoy doing things that are dangerous, you have to take the consequences of your choice. Don’t come bitching to me if/when the dice comes up snake-eyes.

[Hugin]

Yeah. This would be my choice to carry in lieu of a handgun.

Marlin 1895G in 45-70

[proud_yank]

Thanks for the info, I didn’t know that. I’ve heard up in the territories, they’re pretty relaxed about people carrying for bear defense up there. Never verified it, but wouldn’t doubt it.

[bobby.223]

I use a shoulder rig and revolver with a lanyard at nite but I gotta agree with your pick in lieu of the handgun, if it were some reason unavailable. that is a flat out great looking firearm and with some serious punch also. I think a trip down to my home away from home gun shop tomorrow morning just might be in the cards, I think I’d like to have one of those.

[LegendHasIt]

Holy cow, is that for real?

Not that I’d fire it if it was... The muzzle blast would singe my eyebrows clean off, and I’d never be able to pry the hammer out of my forehead.

[Atchafalaya]

LOL!!!

[proud_yank]

But to my mind hunters are in the same league with skydivers, bungee jumpers, rodeo riders and those who partake and enjoy other dangerous sports and hobbies.

No. I am a very avid hunter, and I've also done 'adrenaline' sports in the past as well and there is no comparison. Some of the best hunts I've had I didn't get a thing, and was in no danger at all. I've watched plenty of beautiful sunrises/sets over a decoy spread and never happier. Have also been deep in bear country before too with no issue.

Should people stop participating in sports like football, basketball, baseball, swimming, martial arts, etc. which are statistically more *dangerous* than hunting? I haven't checked, but would say with fair certainty that most hunting deaths are due to heart attacks from exertion and old age.

Very few hunters have to hunt. They do it because they enjoy doing it, and part of the reason they enjoy doing it is for the challenge and the danger.

I don't *have* to hunt or fish, and you're second part is only partially correct in limited circumstances. When I'm home, that is pretty much all I eat. In the US, most of, if not everything we do, we don't *have* to do. Its called freedom.

That being the case, I am not particularly sympathetic when a hunter gets chomped on. If he/she was worried about the bears, he/she could stay home and buy their meat at the supermarket like the rest of us.

The bottom line is if you enjoy doing things that are dangerous, you have to take the consequences of your choice. Don’t come bitching to me if/when the dice comes up snake-eyes.

I'll keep that in mind if I ever hear about you or a family member being involved in any form of accident or tragedy. God forbid it be on a trip to the grocery store. Remember, they're all preventable and you clearly should have avoided it because you didn't *have* to do what you were doing.

[familyop]

That’s an interesting consideration regarding the territories, and I’ll ask. I was thinking about maybe heading into the northwest in a couple of years, if we get a project here done before then. First and foremost, last I heard from them, the few cops up there want visitors to have good ham radios (very important, among other things).