Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Saw this guy when they ran the story on the local news (hmmmm, they didn't say he was a "hunter" when they ran the story...how bout that?). Now, the guy was actually really banged up, and well, gosh, I'd LIKE to feel sorry for him....but, well, I'm not going to lie to you folks: you know me better than that.
Hunter injured by black bear had been chasing it
By The Associated Press
FORKS, Wash. – A hunter mauled by a black bear had been chasing the animal on private timberland when the animal turned the tables on its pursuers, officials said Sunday.
Bear season doesn't open until later in the year, but the man was hunting under a special permit issued by the state Fish and Wildlife Department to Rainier Timber, which owns the land near Olympic National Park.
It appeared the hunters had been pursuing the bear for some time, Fish and Wildlife Officer Brian Fairbanks said.
"It's like, you have the fight or flight response. It ran for so long, and then decided, 'We're not going to run any more,"' Fairbanks said.
At that point, the hunter and the bear were in heavy brush, the officer said. "He didn't realize the bear was there, and when he got close enough the bear jumped out and grabbed him."
It was not a surprise attack, he said.
"They knew it was there — they'd been chasing it," Fairbanks said. "The guy got bit, but he was the one who put himself in position to get bit."
A second hunter shot and killed the bear before summoning help.
The injured man underwent surgery Sunday on a broken arm, Fairbanks said.
"The bear had grabbed his arm and dragged him down an embankment," he said. "It required some surgery to put him together."
The man, whose name was not released, also suffered a broken wrist and two bite wounds on his upper thigh.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Co
-- Too bad the other hunter was there...It seemed like a fair fight up til then. Well, the bear went down swinging. There's glory in that.
Hunter injured by black bear had been chasing it
By The Associated Press
FORKS, Wash. – A hunter mauled by a black bear had been chasing the animal on private timberland when the animal turned the tables on its pursuers, officials said Sunday.
Bear season doesn't open until later in the year, but the man was hunting under a special permit issued by the state Fish and Wildlife Department to Rainier Timber, which owns the land near Olympic National Park.
It appeared the hunters had been pursuing the bear for some time, Fish and Wildlife Officer Brian Fairbanks said.
"It's like, you have the fight or flight response. It ran for so long, and then decided, 'We're not going to run any more,"' Fairbanks said.
At that point, the hunter and the bear were in heavy brush, the officer said. "He didn't realize the bear was there, and when he got close enough the bear jumped out and grabbed him."
It was not a surprise attack, he said.
"They knew it was there — they'd been chasing it," Fairbanks said. "The guy got bit, but he was the one who put himself in position to get bit."
A second hunter shot and killed the bear before summoning help.
The injured man underwent surgery Sunday on a broken arm, Fairbanks said.
"The bear had grabbed his arm and dragged him down an embankment," he said. "It required some surgery to put him together."
The man, whose name was not released, also suffered a broken wrist and two bite wounds on his upper thigh.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Co
-- Too bad the other hunter was there...It seemed like a fair fight up til then. Well, the bear went down swinging. There's glory in that.
