[New Jersey] Woman fends off attack by [Black] Bear

The Newark Star-Ledger ^ | August 12, 2003 | JIM LOCKWOOD

[d-back]

He was a 400-pound hulking young bruin officials described as "predatory," looking for a meal.

She said he came up behind her on a trail in Wawayanda State Park in Sussex County, chased her down and tackled her.

She said she did the only thing she could. She threw a hard elbow at his snout, and caught him flush, stunning the bear and giving her time to escape.

[spunkets]

"I suggest you research this subject more closely."

Like watch more TV?

[headsonpikes]

How could you tolerate the black-flies?

I've spent many years in the bush, summer and winter, and the only serious problem is mosquitoes and black-flies.

The mozzies I could stand, but black-flies???

You must have the hide of a rhino!

[spunkets]

"How could you tolerate the black-flies?"

Outside of the various rodents, they're the most pesty beasts up there. They're only intolerable on those still, sweltering dog days and you're partially dressed, or swimming. When you smack them on your socks, they're going for your head. They don't seem to be bothered by DEET.

I wear puffy clothes, hat, thinner wool socks and bandannas. The style of the 17th-early 19th century. The puff in the garment allows unsticky freedom of movement, it's cool and the bugs can't poke deep enough to get you. There' always the puffy mosquito head net. I've worn them at night to keep from being eaten and sucked dry. It's like sleeping next to a running chain saw though; there's so many the buzz is deafening.

[ZULU]

You are mistaken. Black bears will consume any available food source - live animals they can kill, carrion, or vegetation. The "T.V." shows I was referring to were not on the Disney Channel, they were on Discovery, The Learning Channel, etc. Even black bear advocates admit male black bears, especially immediately prior to hibernation, will kill and eat people for food if the opportunity presents itself. In addition, there are any number of books on ursine behavior which back these statistics up. What on earth makes you think human protein is any different from any other kind of protein to a hungry predator?

Trust me - I have two degrees in zoology.

The difference between back bears and polar bears is that polar bears are obligate carnivores, i.e., they only eat meat. Black bears are omnivores who take advantage of any available food source.

BUT as I pointed out, they are fairly intelligent animals and learn from experience. A black bear population living in a state where they are a game animal will take an entirely different perspective of humans than black bears which live in a state where no hunting is allowed and people have become associated with food through garbage, livestock, etc. But even in areas where they have been hunted, they will take advantage of any opportunity - let the public beware.

[spunkets]

"Diet:
Here's a typical bush pig diet that occurs in both the zoological lit and field knowledge.

"In spring, bears feed on squawroot (a parasitic plant that grows on the roots of oak trees), grass, herbaceous material, grubs. The summer diet consists mostly of fruits such as serviceberry, huckleberry, blueberry, blackberry, and insects such as yellow jackets, ants, and beetles. Fall foods are important for bears because they need to store body fats to survive the winter when no foods are available. Some bears almost double their body weight in the fall by feeding on nuts and fruits especially acorns, beech nuts, cherries, and pokeberries.

I'll add carrion, fish and dug up rodents.

" Even black bear advocates admit male black bears, especially immediately prior to hibernation, will kill and eat people for food if the opportunity presents itself."

Amonst the people that have lived with them this is unknown, except for the injured, or folks that flee and display fright. They are not known to ever go after people as a food source. It's the mental picture the animal has of prey. Bears don't see human's as prey. They're not even known to take the time to go after birthing moms when they're down, like coyotes and wolves. Wolf packs don't go after humans either, only if they're down. That's because the bear is not a predator, it's a pig, a scavenger.

This story has an expert claiming this particular bear was acting as a predator. He's wrong. The bear had the woman down and there's no way in hell he would have allowed a girl to elbow his nose. He's FAST! He'd a taken her arm clean off. If she was attacked by the bear, it was becasue he is territorial and was probably pokin' his females somewhere nearby in his range. That means he's got the attitude they get when they're feeling amorous. If he was hungry, she'd have ended up as a fart.

[ZULU]

Spunkets, since you are a fellow-smoke-poler, if I was in the woods and was facing a bear, I'd be mighty happier if I had my full-stock .54 caliber Hawkin gun in my arms, or my loaded .577 caliber Enfield rifled naval musket instead of a description of the critter's diet from a book that overlooks certain of its proven predelictions.

[VadeRetro]

This doesn't quite pass the smell test, IMHO.

From the article:

... I've never heard of one quite like this, in which someone punches or elbows the bear and is able to get up and run," said Lynn Rogers, a renowned bear behavior expert with the North American Bear Center of Wildlife Research Institute in Minnesota. "It's baffling that, if it was a predatory attack, anyone could escape a bear so easily and without injury."

Don't think you're alone!

[mikegi]

Run and hide behind a tree, where a hungry, predatory bear was unable to find her? And she had only a couple of welts? This doesn't quite pass the smell test, IMHO.

Sure it does: RealTV: Man fights bear and survives.

[Coleus]

Genesis 9:3
Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants.

Man:
Kill the humans (abortion) and save the Bears, the spotted owls, the Canadian Geese and the whales and don't crack that turtle egg!! Otherwise you WILL go to jail!

You can get fined up to $10,000 for messing with those eggs and baby-killing physicians get paid government and private money $$$ to kill humans! Go figure.

http://endangered.fws.gov/esa.html#Lnk11 http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html#Species
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/785378/posts
http://endangered.fws.gov/

The Endangered Species Act of 1973
http://endangered.fws.gov/esaall.pdf

Page 4 Sec 3 (c)(8) don't crack those eggs, one might end the "life" of a bird, fish or turtle. I guess certain "mammals" (humans) do not apply.

http://profs.lp.findlaw.com/endanger/endanger_6.html

The Govt. recognizes that a fertilized egg from an animal is "alive" and protected by LAW (The Endangered Species Act of 1973) and when in a human, in God's image, it's just a blob of "unlive" protoplasm which can be aspirated if it's the mother's "choice" to do so with no protections under the 5th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution. And whatever you do, DON'T SHOOT THAT POOR BEAR!!

Animal Rights Equal Human Rights - A Future Paradox?
Toogood Reports ^ | February 28, 2003 | Lowell D. Shepherd

West Milford Man Bitten On Wrist By Bear :Another bear attack has occurred in the Garden State.
http://www.wnbc.com ^ | May 23, 2003 | AP WIRE

Licking their bear wounds
Daily Record (Morris County, NJ) ^ | 5-26-03 | Michael Daigle

Boy's bear visit speaks volumes about hunt
http://www.northjersey.com ^ | Thursday, May 22, 2003 | By RICHARD COWEN

County to round up and gas Canada geese
The Newark Star Ledger ^ | 06.29.03 | ROBERT E. MISSECK

Man who shot bear near house charged by DEP
Boston Globe ^ | 6.12.03

A hungry black bear barges in to kitchen
The Newark Star Ledger ^ | 06.12.03

Plan to Attend the May 22 Fish & Wildlife Hearing on Black Bear Hunting
NRA - ILA Grassroots Alert | May 10, 2003 | NRA - ILA Grassroots Alert

Bear Hunting In New Jersey
FreeRepublic ^ | 5/21/03 | tcostell

Bear swats Sparta toddler
Daily Record ^ | May 21, 2003 | Rob Jennings

Jersey Could End Bear Market (NJ lawmakers to give animal rights group $95,000 to end hunting)
NY Post | 5/7/03 | Ken Moran

Bear Kills Infant In Upstate N.Y.
Bear Dragged 5-Month-Old Away From Summer Bungalow Colony
http://cbsnewyork.com/siteSearch/news_story_1364547158_html

One trapped in West Milford; another killed at Vernon home
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/928120/posts?page=27#27

Black Bear shot in New Jersey
WCBS New York ^ | November 2, 2002

Bear attack in Utah
Salt Lake Tribune | 10 July 2003 | Matthew Baker

Infant killed by bear in NY state
Fox News

Don't Crack that egg!!  Fines and Imprisonments. Oh, it's fine to abort babies and the govt. will pay for it.

[Coleus]

`

[Fledermaus]

A "black" bear? Shouldn't that be an African-American bear?

[Calpernia]

Yes, normally that would make sense. But for some reason here in NJ, these bears have even been breaking into homes while people are in them.

We have been having strange bear encounters. We have an ongoing posting following.

[Calpernia]

>>>Since it's well know how children tend to creep quietly and stealthily through the woods (and everywhere else they go), I don't think you'll have any real trouble.

LOL, so you have MET my children :)

[Calpernia]

>>>outside of a homicidal fellow-human

We have alot of that too. What license can I apply for?

[Calpernia]

>>>But if you have private property in that area of NJ and are concerned about the bear that lives there just drop me a note and I'll stop by during the season appropriately equiped to address the situation for you.

I personally live on property the size of a postage stamp now. But I love that offer from you.

I'm heavily interactive with families from East Amber NJ. Looking to move there. I know they have property that may be huntable. I may have property in the future that may be huntable.

Kindly introduce yourself a little more to me...I may recommend you to current property owners in East Amber.

[headsonpikes]

"I wear puffy clothes..."

Shades of Jerry Seinfeld! LOL!

You have rekindled a lot of brutal memories for me!

You neglected to add details such as tying flagging around your shirt and pants cuffs to keep the bugs out...and smudges. DEET is nice - beats the hell out of diesel fuel or bacon grease!

[spunkets]

They're large wild animals that could get vicious. It's always wise to consider what protection you'd want to have. If I think there's a danger I just carry a 357, or 45.

[Randy777]

Where is Tony Soprano when you need him?

[Randy777]

I bet she had a shirt on that said "Eat ME"!