Bear Attack in Wexford County (MI)

9 and 10 news ^ | 8-16-2014

[Darren McCarty]

The 12 year old girl from Haring Township is in stable condition after undergoing surgery after a black bear attack. She suffered deep cuts in her thigh.

Just after 9 PM, Abby Wetherell, was heading home from a cabin down a two-track, north of Cadillac, when she saw a black bear. She began to run, hoping to make it to a nearby house.

The bear attacked and clawed her. Abby got to her feet and started running when the bear attacked her again.

The girl shouted for help. A neighbor heard her and ran to her aid, calling out Abby's name. The bear was startled and ran off.

DNR is actively searching for the bear by setting traps were the attack happened. After finding the bear, DNR will kill and test it for disease.

DNR wants area residents to stay away from where the attack occurred. They are working hard to catch the bear.

If you see the bear, please contact DNR Cadillac Operations Service Center at 231-775-9727 or the DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) Hotline at 800-292-7800.

Michigan has about 8,000 to 10,000 bears, 90% of the population in the Upper Peninsula. There is an established bear population in Wexford County where the attack occurred.

Black bears are generally fearful of humans and usually leave the area if people are near. Most black bear attacks happen because the mother bear is protecting her cubs.

[familyop]

In morning daylight, a female with cubs will usually tree, if you run at them. At night, large, feeding males usually won’t budge. They’ll challenge—especially those called black bears while being brown (long, straight hair), up to eight or more feet long, four feet or so high at the back on all fours (from CO on through the Northwest). And by the nature, when increasing in population, they gradually become more familiar with people with or without garbage residents.

Bear worshippers are an interesting breed. When employed to write for government offices, they also tend to underrate the power, speed and population sizes of mountain lions.

[Hot Tabasco]

Forget the Disneyland image of predatory bears

I never had one......

[george76]

<< we know they were out for food since almost all eat the victims. >>

Correct : Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend at the time, Amy Huguenard found that out .

[Hot Tabasco]

I think my revolver could damage a bear first rate if up close and personal and I was shooting one of my hollow point rounds.

So what do you want to do, shoot target practice or hunt and kill a bear?

[jazusamo]

Dr. Stephen Herrero lays it out in this interview.

Beware of predatory male black bears

[old curmudgeon]

You don’t want to shoot bears with hollow point.

The purpose of hollow points is to expand so as to hit the target with full force, that is, a target that has vital organs fairly close to the surface.

Like people.

A bear’s hide is so tough, has a thick layer of hair and a thick layer of fat.

So the bullet will expand and exhaust its energy before reaching the vitals.

Cor-Bon, for an example as there are others, sells a .45 Colt load that is metal jacket, with a softer lead nose that will not start expansion until it penetrates much deeper.

It has more kick than a cowboy load, but if a bear is after you, you will not even feel the kick.

You probably will be so excited you won’t even hear that .45 go off.

[old curmudgeon]

I forgot to mention; don’t shoot souped up loads in your .45 unless it is a Ruger Blackhawk.

[familyop]

For bear defense, minimum 44 caliber bullets, at least 280 gr., wide meplat, at more than 1000 fps. .45’s good, with a revolver that’s documented in reloading manuals to be capable of handling such loads (check year of revolver model, too—not only model).

Shooting Holes in Wounding Theories:
The Mechanics of Terminal Ballistics
http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html

Rifles are different, and many will do the job. But proven terminal ballistics still apply. 12 ga. shotguns with slugs are probably best for most people—especially with slugs designed like some of the Brenneke slugs for large game. And of course, anyone defending against a bear attack must be capable of the required calmness and accuracy.

Reports from louder firearms (louder than .22 LR) fired in the direction of bears tend to scare bears into running away most of the time but not always.

[ASA Vet]

The DNR refuses to believe

Exactly the reason I didn't bother reporting the Grey Wolf who ran by me while I was deer hunting in Missaukee County.

[familyop]

"I forgot to mention; don’t shoot souped up loads in your .45 unless it is a Ruger Blackhawk."

True. Some of the old Vaqueros would do it but not the newer ones. Don't remember the date of design change, but it was a long time ago. There are also Redhawks (double action) for good defense loads, if they haven't weakened the design for those since I last looked (a few years ago).

And with single action, always do every safety step. Keep that thumb low and away from the hammer, until the revolver is completely clear of the holster and pointing forward. In my opinion, thousands of rounds of safe, slow practice should be put through a single action if considering it for defense. With enough practice and always with an effort toward being slow and accurate, speed will come naturally, eventually.

Why .45 instead of .44 magnum? Less recoil and as much power for defense with the right loads. But the reloader should read very thoroughly (especially safety stuff) and know what he's doing (no more than 1100 fps for heavy, hard-cast, wide, flat-nosed bullets in the lower 48, in my opinion, maybe closer to 1180 fps for parts of Alaska).

Some resources:
Gun Notes: The .45 Colt - Dissolving the Myth, Discovering the Legend
by John Linebaugh
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

Lead Bullets Technology
(best bullet molds)
http://www.lbtmoulds.com/index.shtml

Hell, I Was There
by Elmer Keith
(book)

[Eska]

I shot at a small blk bear today, running at 250-300 yards; missed of course, but woke me up and give everybody a grin. Subsistence caribou here in interior Alaska right now. Have passed on a couple year and a half bulls, waiting for the 3 year old.

Twice I have had blk bear come crawling in on me, front quarters down, butt up in air; like cat on a rabbit in cut hay field. Bear's ears going back and forth like crazy and bear coming in real slow. Actually quite common if yu live around bears that haven't seen people.

Blk bear 230 lber killed a man up George's Lake a couple months back. Bit his head off and started eating the poor soul. They finally shot the bear and found man's body parts in stomach.

We pretty much shoot at every bear we see, just dangerous pests. We can also now legally shoot grizz that come into our blk bear bait stations; and they do come in; great living in a red state.

[Dacus943]

Garrett Cartridges of Texas will take care of Bears to Elephants.

44 Mag & 45-70 only!

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/

[Eska]

My kids have shot close to 20 blk bear with a 6.8 stag they all started with; none ever went over 30 yards and let out their bawl. I load 110 .277 ttsx with 29 grains H-322; no problems out of a stand.

[OldMissileer]

My brother spotted another one near Luther last month.

I’ll be going there to check some property and do some hunting with him. I guess I’ll wear my 44 Mag while hunting.

[Darren McCarty]

That's by my old stomping grounds. Bears were rare, but not anymore.

Sugar water. Bears love that as much as honey. My uncle's deer feed north of there became bear feed. There were more bears on the critter cam than deer. At least 5.

[Darren McCarty]

I’ve had bear encounters, not up close. They ignored me and moved away when they were finished doing what they do best - eat. I watched them with my gun ready, but didn’t need to fire. I left the area in a different direction than the bears and no people or bears were harmed.

[Darren McCarty]

Wolves are that far south? I know they are all over the UP, but never noticed any south of the bridge.

[CodeToad]

This is "Twinkletoes", a bear in our neighborhood known to empty bird feeders and never tear them off their string. Can empty beer cans and not damage the fridge. Empty dog food containers and touch nothing else in a garage. A polite, friendly bear. Annoying, but mannered.

[pas]

Came face to face with one in the smokies last year. It just stood on the trail looking at me. It didn’t leave until more people came up the trail talking loud.

[ASA Vet]

DNR says they are not in the LP. That's why I didn't bother to report it. They'd have just told me it was a weather balloon.

I suspect wolves are extremely rare on this side of the Big Mack. Coyotes aren't.