Bears and bear guns
- Thread starter Keith Rogan
- Start date
The last Grizzly Killed in Colorado was killed by stabbing in the NECK with an ARROW, in 1980 or so. The bowhunter in question was being mauled by that bear. Grizzlies are "officially" extinct in Colorado (but not in nieghboring Wyoming) Funny thing is.. that bear was killed in southern Colorado's Sangre De Christo range.. nearer to New Mexico.
My ex-gf had an interesting book called "Death in Yellowstone" which mentioned several fatal attacks in and around yellowstone national park, one man eating bear was attacked with dynamite???? Made for interesting reading.
Alos heard a new story from Alaska recently. Some friends were kayaking along the coast and tent camping etc. They were told by Alaska fish and game to NOT GO WITHOUT a 12 guage pump shotgun full of buckshot or slugs. They were camping on a beach at night with the shotgun laying between them. At about 2am somthing was tossing their camp and tried to come through the side of the tent. One of them EMPTIED the shotgun through the wall of the tent, killing the 600+ pound bear that was clawing its way inside. Alaska fish and game cleared them of any wrong doing.. but advised they get more shells if they wanted to continue thier surf - kayaking trek. They did both.
Notes about the two kayakers: niether was terribly gun-savvy but both were experienced campers and kayakers and back country types. Keeping a cool head and being prepared, and LISTENING to wildlife officials probably saved thier bacon.
Dr.Rob
My ex-gf had an interesting book called "Death in Yellowstone" which mentioned several fatal attacks in and around yellowstone national park, one man eating bear was attacked with dynamite???? Made for interesting reading.
Alos heard a new story from Alaska recently. Some friends were kayaking along the coast and tent camping etc. They were told by Alaska fish and game to NOT GO WITHOUT a 12 guage pump shotgun full of buckshot or slugs. They were camping on a beach at night with the shotgun laying between them. At about 2am somthing was tossing their camp and tried to come through the side of the tent. One of them EMPTIED the shotgun through the wall of the tent, killing the 600+ pound bear that was clawing its way inside. Alaska fish and game cleared them of any wrong doing.. but advised they get more shells if they wanted to continue thier surf - kayaking trek. They did both.
Notes about the two kayakers: niether was terribly gun-savvy but both were experienced campers and kayakers and back country types. Keeping a cool head and being prepared, and LISTENING to wildlife officials probably saved thier bacon.
Dr.Rob
Keith Rogan
New member
Trying to reply to several people in one note here...
The gentleman who recently fought a Kodiak bear with a knife was a fellow named Gene Moe. He was boning out a deer when he was attacked and he went to town with the knife and managed to drive the bear back until he could grab his rifle and shoot her dead. He survived but will probably never regain full use of one of his arms. That attack happened just a few miles from here.
Another attack during the same week here in Kodiak resulted in the death of a deer hunter. Similar situation, he was packing out venison when he was hit by the bear.
This attack happened in almost the exact spot where I was mauled and I can't help but wonder if this wasn't the same bear.
About a year ago, a 14 year old boy named Cody Mills was attacked by a browny down in Hoonah Alaska and he also managed to put up enough fight that the bear backed down and departed - Cody is also going to have some scars and permanent damage. This kid was bitching to the newspaper because the bear departed with his knife sticking in its throat and he never got it back. I sent him a Buck collectors edition "Kodiak" knife. I would love to meet this kid, they raise them tough down in Hoonah.
These are just a few of the more than dozen maulings in the state over the last year.
[This message has been edited by Keith Rogan (edited January 19, 2000).]
The gentleman who recently fought a Kodiak bear with a knife was a fellow named Gene Moe. He was boning out a deer when he was attacked and he went to town with the knife and managed to drive the bear back until he could grab his rifle and shoot her dead. He survived but will probably never regain full use of one of his arms. That attack happened just a few miles from here.
Another attack during the same week here in Kodiak resulted in the death of a deer hunter. Similar situation, he was packing out venison when he was hit by the bear.
This attack happened in almost the exact spot where I was mauled and I can't help but wonder if this wasn't the same bear.
About a year ago, a 14 year old boy named Cody Mills was attacked by a browny down in Hoonah Alaska and he also managed to put up enough fight that the bear backed down and departed - Cody is also going to have some scars and permanent damage. This kid was bitching to the newspaper because the bear departed with his knife sticking in its throat and he never got it back. I sent him a Buck collectors edition "Kodiak" knife. I would love to meet this kid, they raise them tough down in Hoonah.
These are just a few of the more than dozen maulings in the state over the last year.
[This message has been edited by Keith Rogan (edited January 19, 2000).]
Keith Rogan
New member
Dr. Herrero is Da Man when it comes to bear behavior and attacks! I discuss his book briefly on my links page.
The rifle used to shoot the bear off me was a .300 mag with 150 grain Barnes X's. Those are awfully light but you can't fault the penetration of that bullet design. The bear was hit approximately in the liver or rear rib cage from the side. The second shot was into her front somewhere (he just saw brown in the scope as she charged and pulled the trigger). A biologist named Larry VanDaele tracked her for several miles the following day until she quit bleeding and he lost the trail. That same bear was almost certainly the same one that attacked another party of hunters nearby 3 days after my mauling. These guys were loading deer into a skiff when the bear spotted them from a hillside several hundred yards up and just charged - they bailed into the skiff and the bear went right into the water after them. They decided to hunt elsewhere.
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
The rifle used to shoot the bear off me was a .300 mag with 150 grain Barnes X's. Those are awfully light but you can't fault the penetration of that bullet design. The bear was hit approximately in the liver or rear rib cage from the side. The second shot was into her front somewhere (he just saw brown in the scope as she charged and pulled the trigger). A biologist named Larry VanDaele tracked her for several miles the following day until she quit bleeding and he lost the trail. That same bear was almost certainly the same one that attacked another party of hunters nearby 3 days after my mauling. These guys were loading deer into a skiff when the bear spotted them from a hillside several hundred yards up and just charged - they bailed into the skiff and the bear went right into the water after them. They decided to hunt elsewhere.
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
Keith Rogan
New member
Dr. Rob,
I've actually seen the skin of that Colorado bear killed with the arrow. It is (or was) displayed in the Natural History museum in Denver.
I always thought his story was a little fishy and suspect he shot the bear with an arrow and was then mauled when he approached. Who can say?
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
I've actually seen the skin of that Colorado bear killed with the arrow. It is (or was) displayed in the Natural History museum in Denver.
I always thought his story was a little fishy and suspect he shot the bear with an arrow and was then mauled when he approached. Who can say?
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
Keith Rogan
New member
Just pondering about the bear that got me and the man who died in the same spot this year - bears almost certainly don't develop "mankiller" habits like say, tigers, at least according to bear biologists. But the circumstances are a bit suspicious to say the least.
Another weird story that may indicate a mankiller happened over near Soldotna Alaska. About this time of year last winter, a team of geologists were walking along a trail when a bear approached from the rear and simply bit the head of the last guy in line - he was instantly killed of course. Investigation revealed that the bear had apparently been denned nearby, came out and followed them for several hundred yards and then silently picked off the geologist and ran away. Very weird.
Later in the year, June or July I think and just a couple miles from where this occurred, a hiker was found with the exact same M.O. - not mauled, just killed with a single bite that crushed his head and then left undisturbed. Pretty weird huh?
In both cases firearms were present. The lead guy in the party of biologists was carrying a rifle and was never even able to get a shot off. The hiker was also found with an unfired rifle.
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
Another weird story that may indicate a mankiller happened over near Soldotna Alaska. About this time of year last winter, a team of geologists were walking along a trail when a bear approached from the rear and simply bit the head of the last guy in line - he was instantly killed of course. Investigation revealed that the bear had apparently been denned nearby, came out and followed them for several hundred yards and then silently picked off the geologist and ran away. Very weird.
Later in the year, June or July I think and just a couple miles from where this occurred, a hiker was found with the exact same M.O. - not mauled, just killed with a single bite that crushed his head and then left undisturbed. Pretty weird huh?
In both cases firearms were present. The lead guy in the party of biologists was carrying a rifle and was never even able to get a shot off. The hiker was also found with an unfired rifle.
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
Kieth.. I'll head down to the museum to check that out. 
( I happen to live within walking distance of the museum)
As I recall the bow hunter had killed an elk and was stalking its blood trail when he came across it dead and the bear on top of it. The bear charged and mauled him several times he managed to stab the bear with the arrow in a desperation move rather than get mauled for the 4th time. The bear bled out while feeding on the elk carcass. The bowhunter nearly died and several horses met thier demise getting the hunter off the mountain as the story went. I've seen it written up in several different versions.. one was the news report and one was in american rifleman I think, another in a similar outdoor publication. The bear was a sow and had given birth previously (how biologists can determine stuff like that is beyond me). Not sure how BIG that bear was but she was a mature grizzly. Big enough to put a world of hurt on that hunter.
Thanks for the info again Kieth.
(I think I may actually BUY a bear tag this year...we had an unseasonably warm elk season this year and I saw all kinds of sign.. and the lions were out in force)
Dr.Rob
( I happen to live within walking distance of the museum)As I recall the bow hunter had killed an elk and was stalking its blood trail when he came across it dead and the bear on top of it. The bear charged and mauled him several times he managed to stab the bear with the arrow in a desperation move rather than get mauled for the 4th time. The bear bled out while feeding on the elk carcass. The bowhunter nearly died and several horses met thier demise getting the hunter off the mountain as the story went. I've seen it written up in several different versions.. one was the news report and one was in american rifleman I think, another in a similar outdoor publication. The bear was a sow and had given birth previously (how biologists can determine stuff like that is beyond me). Not sure how BIG that bear was but she was a mature grizzly. Big enough to put a world of hurt on that hunter.
Thanks for the info again Kieth.
(I think I may actually BUY a bear tag this year...we had an unseasonably warm elk season this year and I saw all kinds of sign.. and the lions were out in force)
Dr.Rob