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Bear attack....again!

4,655 Views | 26 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by jetescamilla
oneeyedag
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Well we've had another senseless Bear encounter that turned out not so well.

Girl and her dog out jogging the AT over in SWVa. She is a regular on the trail, and understanding she's seen quite of bears over her time jogging.

However, this time it didn't turn out so well. Initially came in as girl and dog both mauled by black bear. She left to seek help for her dog before our Conservation LE folks could get to her.

Eventually located her in the ER back in NC. Virginia Game and Fish, Bear biologist, and multiple Conservation officers come out. Biologist and group initially set out to track the bear, however after learning more of the encounter from victim--search was called off.

As it turns out, the jogger had her dog off leash and the dog went off the trail, and actually found the bear in a waller. After finding the bear while in the waller, the tangle ensued.

The girl upon hearing the fighting, went to rescue the dog. Both the dog and the jogger we're injured. Now word on the dog, she dropped it off at vet and then sought treatment at ER. The jogger suffered numerous gouges and bites in her face, arm, shoulders and few other places.

Game and fish found a half dozen bear wallers around the area along with both dog and bear hair.

The wiered thing is, there was a music festival going on at the Park with well over 1k people not a half mile away as crow flies.

It's interesting that all the encounters we've had in the last couple of years, and it's been quite a few--all involved dogs versus just people or dumpsters. Oh and one Harley Davidson versus Bear; that the bear came out on top.

TresPuertas
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AG
I'm not sure I'd call this an "attack".

This sounds more like "bear acts like bear when dumb ass human decides to b&e his residence"
ursusguy
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AG
Like I have mentioned many times on here, dogs and bears don't like each other. With the exception of a couple breeds, dogs are more likely to get you in trouble than help.

Yeah, this is not an attack I would trigger much of a response to.
oragator
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People need to understand their environment....Don't let your dogs off leash in bear or snake country, that's just common sense. That area has coyotes, timber rattlers, bears, copperheads, and almost worse than all of that, Lyme disease lurking everywhere off trail, which dogs can catch.
Even on leash is prohibited sometimes in SNP when there are bears acting frisky.
oneeyedag
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This occurred at heavily populated high traffic area of the AT that is on State property, so we didn't have a choice.

AnSci99
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Ursus, what breeds of dog are the exception?
OnlyForNow
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AG
Probably pits, maloisne (sp) and other dogs similar to that.
BCStalk
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Sounds like an idiot, but I gotta admit that she sounds tougher than me.
CanyonAg77
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AG
I'm ignorant. What's a "waller"? Or are you trying to type "wallow"?
oneeyedag
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No, I got "waller" from the LE report. Perhaps he meant to say wallow, but it's typed waller. You have to remember it's Southwest Virginia on the NC/Va line.
ursusguy
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AG
Sorry, meant to say after getting more info. With initial information of contact being made, completely understandable.
ursusguy
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AG
Stuff like the Karelian bear dog and related breeds, basically your larger spitz breeds.

The issue is lots of dogs will initially get aggressive with a bear, your typical hounds and hunting breeds will eventually disengage with a now pissed off bear in tow....and where does a freaked out lab run to...you. Your larger terriers and working breeds will physically try to engage, and that ends badly. Karelians and the like will aggressively annoy the crap out of the bear, but not inclined to physically attack.
acephotographer
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Not Ursus but I do know that my friends that used to live outside of Port Alsworth in the Lake Clark NP in Alaska had a Karelian Bear Dog that stayed with the kids when they were outside.

He told me basically it would alert to a bear and then bark and harry/shepherd the bear away from the kids while they went the other way. Once they got far enough a away, the dog would beat a retreat.
oneeyedag
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They use the same dogs to run/tree bear, that are used to run deer; usually a mix of hound, such as a Fox hound.

ursusguy
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AG
Treeing them is a little different than what we are talking about, and there are usually more than one hound involved.
oragator
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Now this is a legit bad bear.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5867855/Missing-hiker-dead-mauled-bear-attacked-member-search-party.html
AlaskanAg08
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AG
I have some friends who knew Mike well. Very sad situation.
oragator
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Another bad bear.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6074015/Woman-survived-bear-attack-no-hard-feelings.html
SandyHookVA
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AG
This wasn't the "attack" in Grayson Highlands mid June was it? Off leash dog, owner got swatted around a bit but my understanding was no serious injuries.

Kind of surprised more of these don't go sideways as many idiots hike with unleashed dogs on the AT.

Edit: "attack"...because being swatted while annoying or feeding a bear is your just reward.
Setters
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AG
Have run into one bear in all my fall bird hunting endeavors in WI and MN. Was not to far from the truck with a relatively young female setter. She started semi-pointing and creeping as we approached a huge upended tree. Came around the root end to see a huge hole and large bear head sticking out of the root hole. The bear wasn't yet agitated but was becoming aroused. She wasn't sure what to do but I was. I immediately grabbed her collar and beat a hasty retreat all the while looking over my shoulder every few seconds. Luckily that was the extent of our encounter. Was lucky it wasnt my older male as not sure how that would have unfolded.
oneeyedag
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Yes it was.

I got the report several days later. It was a Lab, and the lady is one of our regulars from NC. She went about a mile down the trail, let her lab off leash. The lab went to the creek and found the bear. Lady hear the commotion, and went after the dog. She grabbed a stick and started whaling away on the bear. Two against one, and the Bear swiped the lady's face missing her left eye by millimeters.

Further down though there's an AT hiker camp we have placed an electric fence around due to bear thievery.

Also one of the best hidden trout streams that literally gets no attention due to high bear activity.
SandyHookVA
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AG
Glad to hear they didn't go after the bear. That area has a high level of hiker muppetry.

Our troop is buying bear canisters this year. We roam from the NC line all the way up to Harpers Ferry and average a couple bear encounters a year. The tales from the Thomas Knob bear this spring were enough to finally push me over the edge and ask the committee for the funds. Our kids are good about keeping their food put away, but still 12 year olds don't always think it through. "Hey....my Gatorade bottle is ok in my tent...right?"

I think I know which stream - I'll have to take my fly rod up there next time.




ursusguy
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AG
I am glad to see folks in the east are starting to take bears seriously. I know when we visit Vermont, I take them way more seriously than they do.......but far less bothered by them.
TexasAggie_02
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AG
CanyonAg77 said:

I'm ignorant. What's a "waller"?
there's a buc ee's in Waller. Really makes you think
SandyHookVA
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AG
ursusguy said:

I am glad to see folks in the east are starting to take bears seriously. I know when we visit Vermont, I take them way more seriously than they do.......but far less bothered by them.

I took them a lot more seriously before I read your bear molesting stories from Philmont.

Now I can't wait for the next time my boys and I come face to face with a 400 lb'r . Gonna run up to him, swat him on the butt and chase him up the mountain.

That's how it works? Right?
ursusguy
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AG
Yes, but not my official endorsement.
ursusguy
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Ironically, on Saturday I had lunch with the kid that has been the wildlife specialist/bear guy at Philmont the last two summers. It was interesting getting info from him the during the fire this summer. There was an article in the NESA magazine about me last year, so he reached out to start networking with me.
jetescamilla
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AG
We've had a number of "bear attacks" here in Juneau this summer instigated by dogs that were offleash but under "voice control". In all situations the dogs instigated the encounters and brought the bears back to the owners.

When we're on trails our dog is always on leash. She's really well behaved and alerts us to animals before we see them but she'd definitely bolt if given the opportunity. The leash had probably saved her from 2 bear encounters and at least 5 porcupine.

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