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

[norseman]

3 hours ago, Chim Chim said:

I don’t know, I wouldn’t rule it out.  I saw some black bear there but none that day.  And I always cooked/ate/hung my food at least 100 yards from my tent so you’d think bears would beeline there instead of my tent if they came in.  Overall I was satisfied with the way it worked out, I walked away.

I said it tongue in cheek bud. Albeit when you said Wyoming my mind went to John Myonenski’s tent encounter. I think I butchered his name.

3 hours ago, Huntster said:

 

As a bear baiter, I was taught by ADFG that black bears are much more attracted by sweets than meat, and brown bears are opposite. If you ate a dessert before bed,  black bear might have come close for a sniff.

 

I think sasquatches might come close to humans at night attracted more for sexual reasons than food.

Please….please just rip my head off!

[norseman]

3 hours ago, Chim Chim said:

That’s an old debate in M1911 circles, just what did John Browning intend.  And there’s even some holsters designed to hold it cocked with the thumb safety off with the idea that if you pull it out you’re shooting.  But since I was alone and figured I’d need it quick if I did seemed reasonable to me.  I’d never do that with others around though.

 

 

[OldMort]

4 hours ago, Huntster said:

As a bear baiter, I was taught by ADFG that black bears are much more attracted by sweets than meat, and brown bears are opposite. If you ate a dessert before bed,  black bear might have come close for a sniff.

 

 

Many years ago, I was camping in Yosemite and after consuming a massive amount of sweet wine that night I decided to forego my tent and set up my bag on a tarp outside under the stars. At some point later, I awoke to the large face of a bear just inches away from my own. I just lay there unmoving, too groggy from drink to do anything. The rest is very hazy. According to my camping partners the next morning, they had heard a commotion outside their tents and had seen the bear actually licking my face. They made some noise and the bear eventually took off. I'm glad I didn't end up like Wes Perkins or worse...

 

 

[Incorrigible1]

5 hours ago, Chim Chim said:

That’s an old debate in M1911 circles, just what did John Browning intend.  And there’s even some holsters designed to hold it cocked with the thumb safety off with the idea that if you pull it out you’re shooting.  But since I was alone and figured I’d need it quick if I did seemed reasonable to me.  I’d never do that with others around though.

You're confusing the debate of whether to carry with a round chambered and ready to fire, or not. Aka Condition One.

 

What could be gained by not engaging the thumb safety?

 

I'm well versed in carrying holstered 1911s.

[Huntster]

2 hours ago, OldMort said:

……I awoke to the large face of a bear just inches away from my own. I just lay there unmoving, too groggy from drink to do anything. The rest is very hazy. According to my camping partners the next morning, they had heard a commotion outside their tents and had seen the bear actually licking my face.…….

You were essentially kissed by a bear, and none the worse for it. Consider yourself special!

[norseman]

3 hours ago, OldMort said:

 

Many years ago, I was camping in Yosemite and after consuming a massive amount of sweet wine that night I decided to forego my tent and set up my bag on a tarp outside under the stars. At some point later, I awoke to the large face of a bear just inches away from my own. I just lay there unmoving, too groggy from drink to do anything. The rest is very hazy. According to my camping partners the next morning, they had heard a commotion outside their tents and had seen the bear actually licking my face. They made some noise and the bear eventually took off. I'm glad I didn't end up like Wes Perkins or worse...

 

 

😬

 

Very scary!

[wiiawiwb]

I think hitting vitals in a charging bear would be difficult given the grizzly's lightning-fast movements both undulating and sideways. 

 

Here's is a video of a charging grizzy. It's not the same as hitting a stationary target at the range.

 

 

[Huntster]

2 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

I think hitting vitals in a charging bear would be difficult given the grizzly's lightning-fast movements both undulating and sideways. 

 

Here's is a video of a charging grizzy. It's not the same as hitting a stationary target at the range.

 

 

 

In this video the bear is a ways off and in the open, giving one time to just put a rifle round into him in the hopes of stopping or turning him. Even if he's hit with a round that will end up fatal, a bear commonly spins and thrashes before running off, making subsequent shots difficult to impossible.  

[Chim Chim]

I’d hate to have to draw a bead on that, no wonder why the old timers all carried big knives on their belts.  If you’re going to go you may as well die fighting.

[jgood7014]

7 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

I think hitting vitals in a charging bear would be difficult given the grizzly's lightning-fast movements both undulating and sideways. 

 

Here's is a video of a charging grizzy. It's not the same as hitting a stationary target at the range.

 

 

I've been told to drop to your knee to fire at a charging bear. This eliminates shooting over its back as it closes the distance between you.

[MIB]

17 minutes ago, jgood7014 said:

I've been told to drop to your knee to fire at a charging bear.

 

I wouldn't worry about shooting over it, but kneeling is steadier than standing yet you can still take a step and haul butt if you need to move .. unlike sitting.    The flip side is if there's any chance that looking big and scary might make the bear change its mind / break off the attack, you give that up when  you shrink your profile by kneeling.    Same with a cougar.

[salubrious]

I've ridden my bike through Banff National Park on several occasions. I've slept outside on the Grizzly hiway (in the Flathead Wilderness) where there is the largest concentration of predators in North America short of Alaska. It wasn't by choice but faced with the reality of the situation, you do what you have to do. 

 

The lore of bears is simple and I was well coached on it on multiple occasions.  Do not approach a bear. When you are having an encounter, the bear is in charge. You can't outrun them, running away will likely get you in more trouble. If you're on a bike you can't outrun them either. Bears are less likely to attack if there are two or more people. The exception is defense of a kill or cubs. So not much solace there. You have to stand your ground and when the bear is close enough, you paint a circle around its head with your bear spray. When in bear country you always have your bear spray, and for those that want to know what to do if you don't have your bear spray, you have your bear spray. If you use a gun, your chances of injury or death are about double that of bear spray IIRC.

 

Despite all this bad things can happen because at the end of the day, the bear is in charge. Something about them got her attention. I suspect this couple knew the score going in as well. If you've not seen this YT video, take a look:

 

[Chim Chim]

I had a standoff with a cougar once, it was 25 yards away and all I had was my Ruger 10/22, not my choice for that but it sure beat nothing.  We both came sneaking around a bend at the same time and came within full view of each other.  I instantly put my rifle up and kept it on him and stood my ground, I was in a rocky creek bed and it would have been impossible to back up and keep my rifle and eyes on him. Thankfully after about two minutes that seemed like two hours he started moving off at a 45 degree angle up a hillside and once I was sure he was leaving I did the same on the opposite hillside.

[Grubfingers]

On 10/19/2023 at 4:26 PM, jgood7014 said:

I've been told to drop to your knee to fire at a charging bear. This eliminates shooting over its back as it closes the distance between you.

Elbow on the not dropped knee gives a steady shot.