Bear protection handguns?

[HARPERC]

Person killed by grizzly bear in Ovando

State wildlife officials report a bicyclist was killed by a grizzly bear early Tuesday morning in the Ovando area.

www.krtv.com

Other than laughing at the PC use of person throughout, it doesn't add to the collective knowledge.

It does say a little about collective mindset in minimizing or solving bear issues. What such a bear in proximity to humans learns from being "sprayed" is subjective at best. Removed from gene pool leaves no such debates.

 

[Pdvdh]

I can add another tidbit of factual information for general knowledge and awareness: Brown bears attacking people riding bikes on trails in Alaska has happened enough times in the past 10 yrs that the "experts" now rank it as higher risk than walking. Walking least risky, jogging more risky, biking most risky.

The "expert" explanation I've read is that people riding bikes down trails in bear country approach quickly and quietly, surprising bears along the bike trails at close range. Bump into a sow with cubs at close range and expect to pay the toll fee for threatening the sow's cubs.

One incident happened about 5 air miles from where I live ~6yrs ago. The man was riding his bike on a power transmission line right-of-way near his home. There have been several more biking attacks in and around Anchorage and populated communities just north of Anchorage, where bike trails have been established on the outskirts of town. Anywhere a bike is ridden through bear country is an added risk to bear attack, in my opinion. The bear doesn't see or hear your approach until close range, igniting their attack response.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I can add another tidbit of factual information for general knowledge and awareness: Brown bears attacking people riding bikes on trails in Alaska has happened enough times in the past 10 yrs that the "experts" now rank it as higher risk than walking. Walking least risky, jogging more risking, biking most risky.

The "expert" explanation I've read is that people riding bikes down trails in bear country approach quickly and quietly, surprising bears along the bike trails at close range. Bump into a sow with cubs at close range and expect to pay the toll fee for threatening the sow's cubs.

One incident happened about 5 air miles from where I live ~6yrs ago. The man was riding his bike on a power transmission line right-of-way near his home. There have been several more biking attacks in and around Anchorage and populated communities just north of Anchorage, where bike trails have been established on the outskirts of town. Anywhere a bike is ridden through bear country is an added risk to bear attack, in my opinion. The bear doesn't see or hear your approach until close range, igniting their attack response.

Guess they figured they need more of a challenge than just a walking meal. Maybe chasing a cyclist fuels there hunger a bit more. All kidding aside, kinda wonder why the peddler or jogger are more at risk. Almost would think it's a tougher meal to run down when a spandex wearing granola eater on a power walk would be a much easier target. Who knows.

 

[Pdvdh]

Just remembered another example - this one involving people jogging. McHugh Creek Trail is located ~12mile south of Anchorage. A well-reknowned elderly marathon runner in her 60s was jogging up this mountain trail and stumbled into a brown bear camped on a dead moose carcass. The bear killed the lady in short order. The woman's son and grandson were running the trail with her. The son heard and then observed his mom being attacked. He tells the grandson to climb a tree and heads off to assist his mother. He was killed in short order also. The grandson who climbed and stayed put in a tree lived to tell the authorities what happened. That brown bear was never found or killed.

Jogging thru bear country? Another "paying the toll" example. Harder to hear and see the bears when you're jogging, compared to walking up & down the trails.

 

[HARPERC]

Lots of video of both black, and grizzly bears chasing bikes.

Joggers seem to be vulnerable to all manner of predators. One can't say from (other than human predators) what triggers are present. Even relatively domestic dogs will nip at runners. At least multiple decades ago when I ran they did. Mindset, and head phones of runners is likely a big part.

 

[dogz]

phorwath------do your joggers/hikers get bothered much by irritable moma moose?

 

[Pdvdh]

phorwath------do your joggers/hikers get bothered much by irritable moma moose?

Indeed that has also happened in the spring when the cows have small calves with them. I was chased by a cow with two young calves in the woods adjacent to my residence last week. Cow had two young calves with it. They usually stop chasing if you run away. With moose attacks - run away if you can.

Moose can cause severe injury due to blunt force trauma from moose hooves striking the head and ribs. I remember one, maybe two, deaths caused by moose attack over my +40yrs here. Most commonly moose attacks lead to injuries, rather than death. Moose tend to leave when no longer feeling threatened, rather than killing.

Moose vehicle collisions have been the leading cause of death by moose while I've lived here. The moose come through the auto windshield and strike the occupants. Was a teenage boy killed ~10yrs ago when he collided with a moose traveling at high speed on his snow machine. Occurred on a cleared natural gas pipeline easement, at night, about 15 miles from my residence. Motorcycle moose collisions are sure killers also.

In addition to cow moose with newborn calves, moose get cranky and will attack under difficult winter conditions (starving). One man in his 70s was stomped and kicked to death on the University of Alaska campus in Anchorage ~15yrs ago. Was during winter and he was kicked in the head multiple times after being knocked to the ground, according to witnesses. Students had reportedly been throwing snowballs at the moose trying to get it to move off prior to the attack. I've had moose feign attack after throwing snowballs at them. They always stopped when I backed (ran) away. Wanna play it safe with moose, back off and walk away or around the moose. They usually lose interest when you give them sufficient space.

And of course bull moose in the thick of the rut have occasionally (but rarely hear of these) charged and injured people.

 

[dogz]

Yikes, I can't imagine running into a moose while running as sled.....not going to be good

Thx

 

[Pdvdh]

Yikes, I can't imagine running into a moose while running as sled.....not going to be good

Thx

One of the Alaska Iditarod dog sled mushers bumped into a moose while racing. Had to bow out of the race after a few of his dogs were injured by the moose.

 

[HARPERC]

A Camper Shot and Killed a Charging Bull Moose in the Idaho Backcountry

A bull moose destroyed a campsite in Idaho before charging a camper and his dog. The unidentified man shot and killed the moose.

www.outdoorlife.com

Latest is no bicycle in grizzly incident. Victim may have been part of a group camping and cycling.

It sounds like in both the moose, and grizzly incidents there were prior issues indicating that ignoring problems didn't work out that well.

Ruts a little ways off, not telling what this moose was wound up about. It's hot and he was probably tired of running from wolves.

We had a rutting bull we bumped often enough to call him 3 O'clock Pete, every day at 3 he'd show up. We had one standoff at less than 20'. Deadline drawn, and .375 in hand. He walked away, and continued to vocalize in the other direction.

 

[sp6x6]

Guy got it here on his bike last season or one before,riding gated road.My son showed me video,local of a black bear bombing down the mountain near a biker,but hard to tell looked like it was bugging out.They do down hill rides off our ski slope,really popular,grizz area also,and expanded last year.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Guess they figured they need more of a challenge than just a walking meal. Maybe chasing a cyclist fuels there hunger a bit more. All kidding aside, kinda wonder why the peddler or jogger are more at risk. Almost would think it's a tougher meal to run down when a spandex wearing granola eater on a power walk would be a much easier target. Who knows.

Mountain lions like chase. Most of the time attack from hind. Have attacked and also killed mtn. bikers and joggers.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Few nights ago coming back from fishing. Hit a yearling doe whitetail. It exploded. I couldn't see out of windshield from the blood . Turned on washer/wipers. Im glad it wasn't an adult let alone a moose. I'd be dead. I saw a picture of a cow moose that went through drivers side window of a mini van and all the way through and hanging out the back of van. I'm sure the driver died. Google moose/vehicle accidents. It's gruesome .

 

[HARPERC]

We got close to hitting a moose one night, they definitely fill up a windshield.

How close? Close enough on the passenger side I could see he was as puckered as I was.