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Posted on 10/13/2026 7:07:31 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
Around 3 a.m. on Friday, a juvenile black bear reportedly broke into a home in the Sunset Heights neighborhood in Salmon, where Brian and Kim Heidemann, along with Kim’s 14 and 9-year-old daughters were sleeping.
...one of the juvenile bears, estimated at about 1 year old, reportedly tried to break into the home through the 14-year-old daughter’s bedroom window.
“(Kim’s) daughter heard noises outside of her bedroom window, and they have a swamp cooler right there,” says Dabell. “Her daughter looked out the window, and at first thought it was a human because apparently when bears grunt, they sound very human-esque.”
The older daughter quickly realized it was, in fact, a black bear, and that it had climbed onto the swamp cooler and was trying to open her window.
“(She) ran across the house to her parents’ bedroom to go wake them up,” says Dabell.
Kim and Brian shot out of bed and ran toward the bedroom. But by then, the bear had reportedly changed routes and entered the home through a back door.
What happened next is something you’d only expect to see in an action movie.
“Without even having time to process or think, because both of the girls’ bedrooms were back there, (Brian) launched himself toward the bear,” says Dabell. “Because it was in the doorway, they both went outside the house.”
Now, in a wrestling match with a black bear in his backyard, Brian continued to try to fight off the bear with Kim close behind.
Inside, the girls tried to keep the family dog, Lulu, a pitbull boxer mix, from running outside, but were unable to keep hold of her.
“The bear was attacking Brian and Kim at that point,” says Dabell. “The dog was able to scare the bear after also being attacked itself.”
At that point, the family realized there wasn’t just one bear, but two juveniles and a sow surrounding their home.
Thankfully, they were able to get back inside and call 911.
Initially, the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office reported that the attack happened on the front porch, but Dabell says that with all the chaos, some information got misconstrued.
“After they got off the phone with 911, they did contact another neighbor who shot in that direction of where the other bears were on their porch, and were able to scare them off so the ambulance could get to them,” says Dabell.
Brian, Kim, and their dog, Lulu, all sustained injuries. Brian’s were the most serious, including a bone-deep laceration on his arm, and deep cuts to the back of his head, and torso.
He was life-flighted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where he underwent surgery. Kim was checked by medical professionals, and Lulu was taken to a local vet for care.
Brian is expected to be released from the hospital on Saturday.
“(The bears) were just all around the property, and Kim said it was like they wouldn’t let (them) leave,” says DaBell. “At that point, they weren’t outside digging and looking for easy food, it was like they decided that they wanted in the house.”
Dabell says learning that Brian and Kim fought the bear to save their children was definitely shocking, but easy to understand when you have kids in danger.
“I think instinct took over. (Brian) didn’t even have time to think, ‘Hey, go get a gun’ or something, it was like ‘This bear is right here in my entryway, and my two daughters are right there, let’s get this thing out of my house.'”
...a houndsman was brought in on Friday morning to track the bears.
The sow was killed, and the two juveniles were later trapped and euthanized.
Local areas have seen a large increase in bears becoming accustomed to human food and becoming an even bigger danger to humans as a result.
The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office asks the public to please refrain from feeding bears and from leaving food out for them.
“To prevent bears from coming into your house, you must remove outdoor food smells, secure all potential entry points, and use deterrents around your property,” says a Facebook post from the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office.
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Seriously, Yikes!! Thank God they are all ok. What an experience. But, Mom and Dad are outside fighting the bears in hand-to-paw combat and the daughters are inside the house trying to prevent their Pit/Boxer mix from joining in? What did they think the dog was for? Come on, girls!
Yogi is thinking "Why did I only go for picnic baskets?" 
"BEAR F****R! DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?"
I’m puzzled. He sacked up enough to fight a bear with his bare hands, but couldn’t grab a tool (firearm) to send it on its way or put it down? Are the local ‘legal authorities’ against self-defense in the case of bears? Or is he courageous but stupid?
Not everybody here in Idaho sleeps with a gun handy. The bear picked a good spot a door or two over maybe not. Two legged or four here we serve led friend.
Ping to the original FReeper bear buster (unfortunately hasn’t posted since 2022, but I miss you buddy).
Goldilocks is gratified, after all these years
Bears are tough buggers. Saw a sow brown bear tear open a beehive. Didn’t even swat at the bees - just wanted the comb, larvae, etc. Her cubs were running around not sure what to do but finally joined in. Thankfully was a safe distance away.
“Yeah, that’s dumb. Let the dog do what it was made for. Geeze. Then the bears, people, and dog would still be alive.”
____________________________________________________________
Yep, a Pitbull/Boxer was bred for that kind of encounter.
“Reportedly” the bear tried to break in the house.
They so wanted to use “allegedly”. LOL. I read a news blurb of a mountain lion attack on a female jogger, and it claimed “authorities are searching for a motive”.
These critters, without sufficient application of pain, will soon lose their fear of man. There’s no way around this. They try to get their meals the easiest way they can, just like any other animal.
Talk about monday morning quarterbacking. Dad did a great thing, attacked the threat inside his home. Dog would get batted away....as it did....useless.
This was a job for an attack dad.
Kanawa....
A Buck 115
A Bear and
A Dog
.
Is That Right?
Kanawa....
A Buck 115
A Bear and
A Dog
.
Is That Right?
Buck 119 (only know that since I owned one)
Sam was the dog, a big pitbull but a real teddy bear.
Sam defended Tom, and Tom defended Sam. The bear lost.
Local Hero
.
God’s Speed FRiend...
We All go away in the end.
.
P.S.
Carry a Revolver and a KJV.
He commented on that. I can see this: “I think instinct took over. I didn’t even have time to think, ‘Hey, go get a gun’ or something, it was like ‘This bear is right here in my entryway, and my two daughters are right there, let’s get this thing out of my house.’”
Long ago, I met a guy famous for wrestling a large, claimed 600-pound-plus Black Bear at a show in Chicago.
The human was a fine specimen, known for feats of strength.
He said the bear had no claws or teeth, was wearing a muzzle, and was crazy strong.
He also noted that the bear’s breath was so bad that you could not wrestle long while holding your breath.
“Allegedly” — they are SO afraid of a PETA lawsuit they chose not to use that word. ;>)
“They try to get their meals the easiest way they can, just like any other animal.” — As I said, DEMOCRATS.
[a juvenile black bear reportedly broke into a home]
Da Bears...
[known for feats of strength]
Frank Costanza?
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