Mont. woman fends off bear attack with zucchini

SF Gate ^ | Associated Press

[y6162]

Police say a Montana woman used an unlikely weapon to fend off a charging bear — a zucchini.

Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says a 200-pound black bear attacked the woman's 12-year-old collie 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, screamed to draw the bear's attention, it charged her and swiped at her leg.

Maricelli says the woman jumped back into the doorway and reached for the nearest object on her kitchen counter — a 12-inch zucchini from her garden.

[y6162]

Hmm..food for thought...first thing at hand was a 12 inch zucchini

[Migraine]

A Zucchini... Is that anything like a Beretta or a Benelli?

[ColdOne]

After she used the zucchini, was it squash? Cannot take credit for that one, saw it somewhere else , I think here!

[y6162]

“One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I’ll never know.”

Groucho Marx quotes (American Comedian, Actor and Singer, 1890-1977)

[Steely Tom]

Earlier. One of the most re-posted stories of last Thursday.

[Steamburg]

The bear got himself into that situation and he can get himself out. Sounds like the bear got lucky she didn’t have a switch or a baseball bat.

[DuncanWaring]

No need to carry an icky knife around anymore ...

[dfwgator]

Sounds like the bear could have used lessons from this guy.

[musicman]

"Mont. woman fends off bear attack with zucchini"

"Hmm..food for thought...first thing at hand was a 12 inch zucchini"

[RexBeach]

This was posted last week.

Hey, step away from the zucchini, ma’am.

[submarinerswife]

This was posted on Thursday. The SF Gate is way behind the FR News gurus.

Great story, though.

[Celtic Cross]

Montanans, and westerners in general, are pretty tough. I'd give several fingers, even both my bird fingers, to live out there.

The west, where men are men and women fight off bears with vegetables.

[dfwgator]

"Mine's bigger than that."

[Peter from Rutland]

I once talked a bear cub out of a tree. The mother was about 50 yards away and knew I wasn’t a threat. My wife was freaking out so I eventually went in the house. I talked him about 3/4 of the way down and he climbed down the rest of the way.

Black bears don’t scare me. Much.

[earlJam]

Wow. Good thing for the bear she didn’t have an egg-plant.

[y6162]

Yup, well I missed it...

The story piqued my curiosity. zucchini at midnight?

[musicman]

[rahbert]

short barrelled assault zucchini

[submarinerswife]

zucchini at midnight?

I wouldn't know......