Mont. woman fends off bear attack with zucchini

yahoo.com ^ | Thu Sep 23, 11:19 am ET | Staff

[Red Badger]

FRENCHTOWN, Mont. – Police say a Montana woman fended off a bear attack with an unlikely weapon — a zucchini.

Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says a 200-pound black bear attacked one of the woman's dogs just after midnight Wednesday on the back porch of her home about 15 miles west of Missoula.

When the woman, whom police did not name, tried to separate the animals, the bear bit her in the leg.

Maricelli says the woman reached for the nearest object at hand on the porch's railing — a large zucchini that she had harvested from her garden.

The woman flung the vegetable at the bear, striking it and forcing it to flee.

Maricelli says the woman did not need medical attention. Wildlife officials were trying to locate the bear on Thursday.

[Red_Devil 232]

The Weekly Gardening thread has been pinged to a CCW Zuke defense!

[savedbygrace]

The bear was afraid the woman was gonna try to force him to take a big bag full of zucchini because she planted too much in her garden.

I’d flee, too.

[Califreak]

On her blog, she says she has one that weighs 99 pounds.

[libertarian27]

zucchini is a very versatile vegetable.

[bagman]

Beat me to it!

I had to take the MMPI (Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Test) twenty-five years ago, and it seemed that every question had a tie-in with a Monty Python sketch. Somehow, I still managed to score as being slightly depressed, despite the hilarity I saw evidenced in every question.

[trisham]

LOL!

[buccaneer81]

Bear killed by zucchini ping!

[Saundra Duffy]

If I knew how to post photos on this site, I’d show you a HUGE zuccini from our garden. I can see why the bear took off. Back yard vegetable gardens are life savers . . . literally!

[RandallFlagg]

Zucchini aren’t vegetables. They’re a fruit.

[buccaneer81]

Ok, not killed, but still...

[RichInOC]

[buccaneer81]

“Cucumbers are so sensual.”

[donna]

LOL.

[choirboy]

NEWS BULLETIN: PETA calls for outlawing Assault Zucchinis.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Hey! Trip was great ... didn't kill anything ... saw some of the most beautiful country ever created. We had to come home to get the cotton picked, but I'm going back when gun season opens in 4 weeks. As much as those licenses cost, I'm determined to fill my tags.

There was a grizzly attack on another bow hunter the last week I was there, and he managed to survive. We checked with the wildlife office daily for bear reports ... it was kinda funny that there were always sightings in the areas where we had been the previous day or two, but we never encountered any bears.

Brought back 7 gallons of choke cherries and 6 gallons of little red crabapples. I have been making jelly and syrup for 3 days.

[magslinger]

It really isn’t difficult. Ping or FReepmail me if you want to learn.

[choirboy]

Zucchini aren’t vegetables. They’re a fruit.

Who knew? Zucchinis are gay.

[greeneyes]

LOL. Attack of the deadly zucchini.

[Boogieman]

“Zucchini aren’t vegetables. They’re a fruit.”

I knew it was to good tuber true.

[cubreporter]

It worked THIS time and since she is alive and well to tell the story...she can better prepare for the next time but for now???? Good work on this woman’s part and hope her dog is OK>