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Two hunters who shot 530-pound grizzly 24 times share their stunning story of survival
East Idaho news ^ | 9/6/24 | David Pace

Posted on 09/08/2024 4:28:10 PM PDT by CFW

ISLAND PARK — Dangling from the jaws of a 530-pound grizzly, 20-year-old Riley Hill’s body flung from side-to-side as his hunting buddy Braxton Meyers fired round after round into the bear’s hulking frame. The grizzly’s ferocious teeth sunk deep into his arm, puncturing the skin to the bone, as he screamed and fought back during the longest 30 seconds of his life.

“It was lifting me off the ground and then slamming me back on the ground,” Hill said. “… It was like playing tug of war with your dog, but he was playing it with my arm and ripping it apart.”

Moments earlier, the bear had charged out of nowhere, dramatically altering a peaceful morning as the two hunters from Rexburg and Menan faced one of the fiercest predators in North America.

The men shared their heroic story of friendship and survival in an exclusive interview with EastIdahoNews.com.

[snip]

The two friends were only about twelve feet apart from each other, and Meyers tripped and fell on the ground.

Hill had time to shoot the bear with three more bullets in the face and shoulder region before its iron jaws clamped down on his arm.

Immediately, the grizzly began to fling Hill around.

Meyers stood up and saw the bear attacking Hill.

He “fumbled around,” pulled out his Taurus 1911 .45 ACP pistol and fired four to five shots at the bear before the gun jammed.

The bear continued to flail Hill from side-to-side as Meyers cleared the feed.

“I was having to pick my shots careful,” Meyers said. “… By then, the bear’s on top of Riley, and Riley’s shoulders are between (its) front feet and his legs are kind of kicked out from its stomach. … I couldn’t see anything Riley was doing. ..."

(Excerpt) Read more at eastidahonews.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: bear; bearattack; bearattacks; bears; god; grizzly; hunters; idaho
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To: CFW

Great survival story. Thanks for posting 👍


21 posted on 09/08/2024 6:20:30 PM PDT by broken_clock (Go Trump! Still praying.)
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Comment #22 Removed by Moderator

To: algore
if only they had had some bear spray

Oh noes - fearless leaders Obama/Biden showed the way: You have to appease the bear with what food you have on hand and promise it more in the near future while assuming the position. Whether you live or not at least the bear's safe to terrorize more people in the future, now that it's learned humans aren't to be feared.

23 posted on 09/08/2024 6:34:11 PM PDT by MikelTackNailer (Fortunately despite aging I've eluded the snares of aquired wisdom.)
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To: Cold Heart

THEY ALSO ARE ADDING WOLVES.


24 posted on 09/08/2024 6:44:01 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: CFW; Maverick88
Good thing have hunting partners each can depend upon the other.

I ‘ve had two such over the years. One passed and the other (a FReeper) moved three states east.

*If you have ever associated with a person who has described an event was surreal, know that you can never depend upon that person to react in an emergency.

25 posted on 09/08/2024 7:31:16 PM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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To: Cold Heart

I think Grizzlies used to be in California. That’s what is on the state flag, after all.


26 posted on 09/08/2024 7:34:40 PM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: Levy78

So who is buying all those Ruger Alaskans?


27 posted on 09/08/2024 7:36:33 PM PDT by Disambiguator
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To: xp38
"taIk about the worst time for that to happen "

That's the instant you regret having cheaped out by buying a Taurus autoloader in the first place.

28 posted on 09/08/2024 7:49:42 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: Levy78
.44 is inadequate as bear is on you too fast for wheel gun follow-up shots. 10mm mag dump is the go to these days.

I'll take my .460 S&W Magnum with hard cast projectiles, thank you very much. No need for follow-up shots with that.

29 posted on 09/08/2024 7:57:58 PM PDT by Colorado Doug (Now I know how the Indians felt to be sold out for a few beads and trinkets)
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To: Disambiguator

And they don’t care about adverse consequences.


30 posted on 09/08/2024 8:34:09 PM PDT by Cold Heart
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To: Levy78

I carried my Titanium 41 mag revolver last year last year. In Montana back country while deer hunting.

Nothing wrong with a good semi-auto nothing wrong with with a good revolver.

I carried both over a 33 year long career in law enforcement.

Having a firearm if far more important then what type.


31 posted on 09/09/2024 2:19:19 AM PDT by riverrunner
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To: All

From my armchair, but I’ve been there...

I think they were undergunned. At least 10mm, even that is slightly light.

I used to know this bartender up in Homer Alaska. He’d been around there quite a while. He used to tell me things like... if you want to hunt Moose plant a rose bush, they love roses. His hunting weapon of choice was a .458 Winchester magnum. His sidearm was the biggest available at the time, a .44 mag S&W 29.

He said when hunting the browns, it took 2 shots from the 458, a hip shot to break the hip and set it on its arse... and as it raises up its upper body with paws in the air, the 2nd shot was to the chest to blow its heart to pieces.

Of course when a pissed off big bear charges you suddenly... it’s all moot. Whatever happened to the 500 S&W as a carry? I thought that was all the rage for Big Bear defense.

Caliber does matter but I recall the Florida cop killing an elephant in Musth that went berserk and he dumped 20+ rounds of 9mm from his Glock into the head of that thing and put it down.

I don’t know what I would use, probably a 3in 12 gauge for starters. Spray is dependent on wind direction. Hand gun? Something I can bring back to target for quick and accurate followup shots. Type of bullet? Hard & Solid for head shots. And if a bear is charging you that headshot might be the only option.


32 posted on 09/09/2024 5:02:35 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: Clutch Martin

In other news: the world record bear was taken by a 12 year old girl with a .22!


33 posted on 09/09/2024 5:13:04 AM PDT by cb
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Comment #34 Removed by Moderator

To: Levy78

Of the more then a couple dozen trips to Montana.

last year was a bust No deer, bad weather and a broken truck.

such is life.


35 posted on 09/09/2024 6:58:10 AM PDT by riverrunner
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To: nwrep

.44 Magnum.


36 posted on 09/09/2024 8:30:43 AM PDT by mabarker1 ( (Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress!!!)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

I have thousands of Rounds run through My Norinco 1911 and a Ruger P85 MK-II and have never had a jam of any kind. I wish I had never sold the Ruger.


37 posted on 09/09/2024 8:36:26 AM PDT by mabarker1 ( (Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress!!!)
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To: CFW; marktwain

Pinging Dean ...

because I’m surprised nobody else did.


38 posted on 09/09/2024 8:42:53 AM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: CFW

Joe Rogan will be on this


39 posted on 09/09/2024 8:44:46 AM PDT by wardaddy (Thank you God for saving president Trump from murder)
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To: Mariner

They had a 10mm which I think finally brought it down and the injured put three more 45 in the brain

Or skull cause grizz brains are sorta oddly back and protected like a rottie skull

Man are they lucky

Grumpy older solitary male
20

Local ranchers happy they say

The grizz loved beef au tartare


40 posted on 09/09/2024 8:51:11 AM PDT by wardaddy (Thank you God for saving president Trump from murder)
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