Fatal bear attack on experienced hikers in Banff backcountry was likely 'predatory'

[Explorer]

This couple was experienced in backpacking in Canadian grizzly country, so I look forward to learn further details on what precautions they took and what did they do wrong.

Nonetheless, quotes like the one below from the Calgary Herald are disturbing. 

 

No matter how well-prepared or versed people are for such confrontations, the couple’s fate might have been sealed, said Titchener.

“It’s possible (the victims) did the best they could, but sometimes there’s not much you can do about it,” she said.

 

It is interesting that they were using a Garmin inReach to communicate with their friends and family (as I also carry and use it).

They reported reaching campsite at 5 PM and at 8 PM reported bear attack via Garmin inReach SOS.

The rescue arrived at 1 AM and the couple and their dog were already dead.

Not clear if they had bear spray.  Doubt that they carried hand guns in Banff NP.

I guess if you know you are going to die by being eaten alive, you can send a SOS and text message via Garmin to SAR so that they know where to find your remains.

 

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/fatal-bear-attack-on-experienced-hikers-likely-predatory-expert

 

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Explorer

[Catmandoo]

1 hour ago, Explorer said:

Not clear if they had bear spray.

 

The carrier for the irritant is vegetable oil. In 1991, a wildlife  researcher ( SMITH ) sprayed bear spray on the ground in the Katmai region of Alaska, to determine the potency of the spray over time. Brown Bears and wolves rolled around on the gravel in the bear spray patch.

I watched a full speed Brown Bear territorial dispute charge against another animal. Flat ground, running straight, full tilt boogie speed. Very impressive. I said to myself: self, if a human was there with a can of bear spray with a 30' range, the human would have 1/4 second of life after pulling the trigger.

In Alaska, the fav is 12 gauge shotgun with slugs.

Lower forty eight, popular choices are 12 gauge with slugs  or a  45-70.

The Canadians who work in the oil fields have guards that  protect them from Grizzly bears. A selection of loads are used: rubber bullets, flash bangs and lethal loads. The bears learn that the rubber bullets and flash bangs are minor deterrents.

 

We need to know if the fatal bear attack was by a male or female bear.

[Skinwalker13]

I'd lean on the predatory attack theory pretty heavy. Remember the forest fires eliminated much of the foraging season and decimated berry patches just as the plants were flowering this year. Food has been scarce, and hikers are slow.

[norseman]

I wanna bash my head into the keyboard when people are eaten and the media is looking at the possibility the victims did something wrong.

 

Yes they did something wrong…..they didn’t fill the son of a gun full of holes! I would rather be arrested and my pickup confiscated than to be eaten by a Bear feet first…. Egads.

 

Chances are? They will destroy the Bear anyhow. A lot of good that will do the couple. But at least the government can say “Because humans are stupid we had to destroy the Bear”. Which they like better than people taking the law into their own hands to save their own lives.

 

It makes me sick….

[Huntster]

6 hours ago, norseman said:

........Chances are? They will destroy the Bear anyhow. A lot of good that will do the couple. But at least the government can say “Because humans are stupid we had to destroy the Bear”. Which they like better than people taking the law into their own hands to save their own lives.

 

It makes me sick….

 

It's Canada. And a national park to boot. They won't even destroy the bear. If a traveling American isn't in the vicinity, there isn't a firearm within a few hundred miles (oh, yeah........kilometers...........)

 

https://www.readersdigest.ca/culture/rogue-bear-rampage/

 

[cmknight]

2 hours ago, Huntster said:

 

It's Canada. And a national park to boot. They won't even destroy the bear. If a traveling American isn't in the vicinity, there isn't a firearm within a few hundred miles (oh, yeah........kilometers...........)

 

 

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/couple-and-dog-killed-by-bear-at-banff-national-park-1.6584930

 

"A grizzly bear displaying aggressive behaviour was found in the area and was euthanized by Parks Canada for public safety reasons."

[Huntster]

^^^^^ Good to know they took it seriously. 

[norseman]

6 minutes ago, Huntster said:

^^^^^ Good to know they took it seriously. 

Now if that was your pitbull that jumped the fence and ate two people? The government would be throwing you in jail….

 

Just like your slash pile burning down your neighbors house.

 

But when the shoe is on the other foot?🦗🦗🦗

[Huntster]

1 minute ago, norseman said:

Now if that was your pitbull that jumped the fence and ate two people? The government would be throwing you in jail….

 

Just like your slash pile burning down your neighbors house.

 

But when the shoe is on the other foot?🦗🦗🦗

 

In 1998 I pulled up to the gate at either Jasper or Banff NP (we went to both, but I can't remember which one had this interesting "ranger") and was asked if I had any firearms. I admitted that I had a shotgun in the closet of the motorhome (I had unloaded it just before arriving). He ordered me to pull over, and he boarded. He ordered me to open the closet, I did, and he saw the shotgun, but didn't touch it. He then went into the rear bedroom, opened some drawers, and rifled through the contents before leaving. Immediately after the door was closed, Mrs. Huntster had harsh words about him. She didn't like him touching her panties.

 

I reloaded the shotgun magazine, and we proceeded........

[georgerm]

13 hours ago, norseman said:

I wanna bash my head into the keyboard when people are eaten and the media is looking at the possibility the victims did something wrong.

 

Yes they did something wrong…..they didn’t fill the son of a gun full of holes! I would rather be arrested and my pickup confiscated than to be eaten by a Bear feet first…. Egads.

 

Chances are? They will destroy the Bear anyhow. A lot of good that will do the couple. But at least the government can say “Because humans are stupid we had to destroy the Bear”. Which they like better than people taking the law into their own hands to save their own lives.

 

It makes me sick….

Yes a starving bear in misery needs lots of holes to put it out of its misery.

 

A bear charged me here in Southern Oregon and when I pointed my gun at it, the bear dashed off to the right at 90 degrees. Did that bear know the meaning of a rifle? It was so close my scope was a blurry mess. Bad lesson there and use open sights now.

 

What about a Bigfoot charging on all fours from 40 feet away zigzagging and going 35 mph? Could you hit it?

 

Many years back somone posted a video of a low, fast charging bigfoot. Can anyone find this video?

[Explorer]

18 hours ago, Catmandoo said:

In Alaska, the fav is 12 gauge shotgun with slugs.

Lower forty eight, popular choices are 12 gauge with slugs  or a  45-70.

 

Wonder if I can take a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs on a backpacking trip to Yellowstone NP or the Grand Teton NP?  I don't think they allow that in the park.

I have never backpacked in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska or Canada because of my fear of a grizzly bear attack (and the fact that I don't carry handguns).

I would if I had that 12 gauge shotgun, knew how to use it, and it was legal to carry.

 

 

4 hours ago, Huntster said:

In 1998 I pulled up to the gate at either Jasper or Banff NP (we went to both, but I can't remember which one had this interesting "ranger") and was asked if I had any firearms. I admitted that I had a shotgun in the closet of the motorhome (I had unloaded it just before arriving). He ordered me to pull over, and he boarded. He ordered me to open the closet, I did, and he saw the shotgun, but didn't touch it. He then went into the rear bedroom, opened some drawers, and rifled through the contents before leaving. Immediately after the door was closed, Mrs. Huntster had harsh words about him. She didn't like him touching her panties.

 

I reloaded the shotgun magazine, and we proceeded........

 

Good to know your experience, but what are the rules at Banff NP?  Could that couple carry a 12 gauge shotgun in their backpacking trip legally?

[Huntster]

42 minutes ago, Explorer said:

......Good to know your experience, but what are the rules at Banff NP?  Could that couple carry a 12 gauge shotgun in their backpacking trip legally?

 

I doubt they could in the park, but I admittedly don't know. It has only been recently that Americans have been allowed to do so in American parks by SCOTUS decision. Moreover, Americans driving to/from Alaska can bring long guns (rifles/shotguns) with them after applying for the permit and paying $50 per firearm, but handguns are not allowed, and I don't know if that allows carry in the woods or it's limited to transport. I saw a flyer at my local gun club that a class of some sort is available which can ease those restrictions somewhat, but I'm unaware of how that works. I will be looking i to it soon, however, because I'm at the early stages of considering and planning a brown bear hunt at Haines, Alaska, which would require me to drive through Canada.

[Catmandoo]

2 hours ago, Explorer said:

I have never backpacked in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska or Canada because of my fear of a grizzly bear attack (and the fact that I don't carry handguns).

I would if I had that 12 gauge shotgun, knew how to use it, and it was legal to carry.

 

I am in Washington and open carry of long rifles and handguns is legal. Concealed carry requires a permit.  I laugh at the polls taken by the Feds on re-introducing Grizzly bears into Washington. Nature finds a way. The Grizzly bears are doing just fine at extending their range. Grizzly range is south of HWY 2 and has been for years. Lots of deer and an over abundance of black bears. Fish & Wildlife under report the range of Grizzly bears.

An option for a 'firearm' could be a 'flash bang' pistol. Made of plastic, it is a one shot flare pistol that can take red flares and flash bang loads. Looks like a 'safety' device. Light weight.  I do know how Canada views flash bang pistols.

 

I am not aware of any bear scenarios where the humans shined a powerful flashlight onto the face of a bear.

 

The image: red is signal flare with listed vertical range of 400' and yellow is flash bang.

Edited October 4, 2023 by Catmandoo
text

[Huntster]

21 minutes ago, Catmandoo said:

........An option for a 'firearm' could be a 'flash bang' pistol. Made of plastic, it is a one shot flare pistol that can take red flares and flash bang loads. Looks like a 'safety' device. Light weight.  I do know how Canada views flash bang pistols.

 

I am not aware of any bear scenarios where the humans shined a powerful flashlight onto the face of a bear.

 

The image: red is signal flare with listed vertical range of 400' and yellow is flash bang.

 

In addition to other gear in my Argo, I carry one of the pictured flare guns with a small Pelican waterproof case containing several flares. I carry it in the rig for signaling purposes, but I note that Larry Kaniut found in his reasearch of Alaskan bear attacks that in all three cases he found where a oerson shot a bear with a flare gun in defense during a bear attack, it stopped the attack with no injury to the person.

 

I guess even with bears, being on fire appears to consume ones attention.........

 

https://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Bear-Tales-Larry-Kaniut-ebook/dp/B018D2H2IE?nodl=1

 

 

 

[Twist]

21 minutes ago, Huntster said:

 

In addition to other gear in my Argo, I carry one of the pictured flare guns with a small Pelican waterproof case containing several flares. I carry it in the rig for signaling purposes, but I note that Larry Kaniut found in his reasearch of Alaskan bear attacks that in all three cases he found where a oerson shot a bear with a flare gun in defense during a bear attack, it stopped the attack with no injury to the person.

 

I guess even with bears, being on fire appears to consume ones attention.........

 

https://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Bear-Tales-Larry-Kaniut-ebook/dp/B018D2H2IE?nodl=1

 

 

 

 
I should hope being on fire consumes all living beings attention .   Flare gun seems more viable to me than bear spray.