The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Grizzly Bears Attack Hunters in Alaska, Canada and Montana

Ricky · October 28, 2011, 11:41 PM

A friend of mine works for USGS. She spends a LOT of times in some beautiful country, so much so that I'm very envious but time the time winter rolls around she is glad to be home, and doing follow up reports and lab work. A few months ago we were discussing a close encounter with a Grizzly that my wife and I had in Glacier N.P. this last August. My friend told me that in all the years and all the field work done by the USGS there has only been one bear attack on an agency employee.
About 15 years ago a female USGS employee was doing field work alone in Alaska. In the A.M. she noticed a black bear kind of hanging around her. She kept an eye out for the bear as it was close by until afternoon. She lost sight of the bear, suddenly and without provocation the bear attacked. She was able to fight off the bear but both of her arms were so badly damaged that they were both amputated below the elbow. She continues to work for USGS.
Since then USGS employees no longer work in the field alone. I saw a nice picture of my friend, she is a fairly petite girl. She was working in Alaska in Polar bear country. She was carrying a double barrel shotgun slung over her back.
I live in N. California and have seen many black bears, none has ever been aggressive but I'd hate to be wishing I'd brought a gun if that odd bear decided to eat me.

October 28, 2011, 11:41 PM	#57
Ricky Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Location: N.California Posts: 408	Black bears don't scare you huh? A friend of mine works for USGS. She spends a LOT of times in some beautiful country, so much so that I'm very envious but time the time winter rolls around she is glad to be home, and doing follow up reports and lab work. A few months ago we were discussing a close encounter with a Grizzly that my wife and I had in Glacier N.P. this last August. My friend told me that in all the years and all the field work done by the USGS there has only been one bear attack on an agency employee. About 15 years ago a female USGS employee was doing field work alone in Alaska. In the A.M. she noticed a black bear kind of hanging around her. She kept an eye out for the bear as it was close by until afternoon. She lost sight of the bear, suddenly and without provocation the bear attacked. She was able to fight off the bear but both of her arms were so badly damaged that they were both amputated below the elbow. She continues to work for USGS. Since then USGS employees no longer work in the field alone. I saw a nice picture of my friend, she is a fairly petite girl. She was working in Alaska in Polar bear country. She was carrying a double barrel shotgun slung over her back. I live in N. California and have seen many black bears, none has ever been aggressive but I'd hate to be wishing I'd brought a gun if that odd bear decided to eat me.