A woman's grisly death inflames debate over how California manages black bears

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 15, 2025 4:14 AM PT | Jessica Garrison and Lila Seidman

[E. Pluribus Unum]

DOWNIEVILLE, Calif. — Patrice Miller, 71, lived by herself in a small yellow house beneath towering mountain peaks on the edge of a burbling river in this Sierra County village. She doted on her cats and her exotic orchids, and was known to neighbors for her delicious homemade bread. One fall afternoon, after Miller had failed for several days to make her customary appearance at the town market, a store clerk asked authorities to check on her.

A short time later, a sheriff’s deputy found Miller’s lifeless body in her kitchen. Her right leg and left arm had been partially gnawed off. On the floor around her were the large paw prints of a bear.

Months after her death, officials would make a stunning disclosure, revealing that an autopsy had determined that Miller had likely been killed by the animal after it broke into her home. It marked the first known instance in California history of a fatal bear attack on a human.

But amid the contentious politics around black bears and other apex predators in California, not everyone accepts the official version of how she died.

“We don’t believe the bear did it,” said Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin. “And I will go on record as saying that. ... We’ve never had a bear kill anybody.”

The story of Miller’s grisly end — and the increasingly heated battles around predators in California — have come roaring into the state Capitol this spring. Lawmakers representing conservative rural districts in the state’s rugged northern reaches argue that their communities are under attack, and point to Miller as one example of the worst that can happen. One solution they have pushed is changing the law to allow people to set packs of hunting dogs after bears...

[Third Person]

grizzly death?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Same thing happened here in New Mexico a few years back.

[Lurker]

“ We’ve never had a bear kill anybody.”

Not until now, you idiot.

L

[Governor Dinwiddie]

I doubt that it's the first person ever killed by a bear in California. Look at the state flag. California has always been bear central.

Here is a monument in Los Osos ("the bears") on the Central Coast:

[riverrunner]

These people are in denial of what happens in the real world.

[ClearCase_guy]

“There’s a first time for everything.”
“Not if we refuse to ever admit that it happened.”

[M Kehoe]

A man and his dog were killed by a bear near Orlando last week.

5.56mm

[marktwain]

A very similar incident occurred in Florida a few days ago.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/4316515/posts

Another happened in Canada, just across the line from Minnesota.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3776482/posts

A couple in Wisconsin fought the invading bear and won.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4302270/posts

[HerrBlucher]

Her right leg and left arm had been partially gnawed off. On the floor around her were the large paw prints of a bear.

“We don’t believe the bear did it,” said Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin. “And I will go on record as saying that. ... We’ve never had a bear kill anybody.”

So what is wrong with this picture?

[Lurker]

“ These people are in denial of what happens in the real world.”

His logic just plain sucks. “The fact that something hasn’t happened means it can never happen.”

Mouth breathing window licking retard….

L

[Scarlett156]

I always gnaw off the right arm and leg after I’ve raided the pantry and wine cellar. It takes a while. That’s why I usually pick someone who lives alone.

[riverrunner]

Or it hasn’t happened to me it will not happen to anybody else.

[logi_cal869]

That’s the line used by libs who hate guns, love nature and hiking and believe there’s no risk while wondering why people go missing in the wild.

“True pandemic”

[Rio]

US101/Klamath River Bridge in Del Norte County.

[TangoLimaSierra]

“We don’t believe the bear did it,” said Ann Bryant

“We don’t want to believe the bear did it,” meant Ann Bryant

[epluribus_2]

That’s why I usually pick someone who lives alone.

...who lives alone and is unarmed, I suppose.

[Jeff Chandler]

So was it a grizzly or a black bear?

[Big Red Badger]

I’ll search for a Date on this killing but our buddy Chuckes is saying loud and clear that Bear population is up so expect attacks to increase.

[technically right]

“Marked the first known time in California history of a fatal bear attack on a human”

First time since 1850, eh. F’n moron.