bears in camp......

[CanuckShooter]

Two dead, two injured in bear attack
Fort Nelson man dies in heroic attempt to save tourist
by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Aug 22/97) - Fort Nelson, B.C.'s Raymond Kitchen died as he lived -- helping others.

Kitchen, 57, was killed trying to save 37-year-old Patti McConnell of Paris, Texas, from a horrific bear attack in Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park Wednesday.

Despite Kitchen's bravery, McConnell was mauled to death in front of the eyes of her 13-year-old son, Kelly, who was also attacked while bravely trying to save his mother.

Witnesses say the bear turned on Kitchen, attacking him and killing him while witnesses tried in vain to save him.

According to a police report, a kick made the bear withdraw into the bush.

It then came upon four university students who turned and ran. A 20-year-old Calgary student slipped and was attacked.

Police said the bear was shot while in the midst of this attack.

The student, along with the young victim, are currently in hospital recovering from their wounds.

The black bear was described as mature and underweight. An autopsy will be conducted on the animal.

In Fort Nelson, Kitchen's wife, Angel, fought back tears as she described a man who never failed to help others.

"If somebody needed help, he was there," she said Monday, fighting back tears. "One of his faults was that he helped so much."

"I think to myself: 'I wish he'd run away. I wish he hadn't jumped in.'"

Having said that, Kitchen also said that this desire to help others was what made her husband so special.

Family friend Patty Adamson said that Kitchen, who owned Arctic Small Engine Repairs in Fort Nelson, was quite an outdoors person.

"He was involved in the junior forest wardens, he liked to snowmobile and fish and camp," she said.

Adamson said that Kitchen had been working in the park and had stopped at the springs with his daughter when the incident occurred.

"It (working in the park) was an opportunity to spend time with his daughter," she said. "They stopped at the springs and he heard it happening. He told his daughter to stay where she was and then he went in."

"That was the last time she saw him."

Adamson also said that her friend's bravery didn't surprise her.

"Had Ray not done something like that, he would not have been able to live with himself," she said. "He was a hero ... I think he's the kind of guy we all wish we were."

The Kitchens had moved to northern B.C. in the early 1970s.

Fort Nelson RCMP also praised Kitchen and others on the scene in a written statement.

"A number of people present that evening acted in a heroic manner," they said. "Mr. Kitchen was one of these people and made the ultimate sacrifice. Those who intervened and assisted with medical treatment are to be commended for their efforts."

Fort Nelson RCMP Cpl. Scott Morrison said he and his staff will be meeting in the coming days to consider honoring the bravery showed in this attack.

In Paris, Texas, Paris News managing editor Bill Heankins said McConnell's death has shocked his city of 25,000.

He said the bear attack has been a subject of discussion all over the city since word reached Texas of the tragedy. And it's meant the story has been picked up by America's national media.

"It's such a hard thing for people around here to understand, a bear and all," he said. "She was troubled and trying to go to Alaska to get her life together after a divorce."


http://www.nnsl.com/frames/newspapers/1 ... 7bear.html

[lrrowe]

My recollection of serious bear incidents in the western U.S. involving campers in semi-recent years are these two: A fatal in Utah in 2007 and a fatal in Montana in 2010. (both involved tent campers)

I have no idea how many tens of thousands of camping nights occur in the Rocky Mountains every year, but you have a much higher chance of being mauled by a dog than a bear. It just isn't a problem. (Until something goes bump in the night!)

T

From an East Coaster's point of view, I hope you are right. But most likely due (IMHO) to the reduced hunting and taking of Black Bears, their numbers seemed to have jumped significantly. I see them every year now when in the woods, but many years back, If I saw one in 3-5 years that was unusual. Increased numbers also can contribute to increased sightings or events. Just the past week, a mama bear and her two cubs where discovered in the city of Roanoke, VA. Last year a young one was photographed 3/4 mi from my home.

But when was the last time a camper got bit?

T

You got me on that one. I talked to a Forest Ranger last fall and we discussed the mauling of an idiot hunter about 10 years ago or more. He went into the brush after a wounded one with an unloaded Blackpowder rifle. And that was the only real incident involving an attack in recent history.

[tony.latham]

Just a couple of years ago a couple was camping with a moto rhome, just a few hours north of our house. The female went into the motor home to sleep one night and the fellow stayed outside. It appeared that he fell asleep in his chair beside the fire. The black bear had grabbed him by the neck and drug him into the bush for a meal. They found him late the next morning...

CanucShooter:

I recognize that BC historically has had a high rate of bear and lion attacks. I recall that Liard Hot Springs attack twenty years ago. Definite predatory attack.

I was asking lrrowe when the last bear injury occurred on the east coast.

Tony

[tony.latham]

It is FUN to talk about camping and bears! It does get my blood pumping when I hear a thunk in the middle of the night.

Here's my wife hooked up to a nice big Arctic Char a few years ago. There were a few other fishermen working the creek, but they didn't prescribe to catch and release.



And that is a can of bear spray hanging off her right hip.

Tony

[Padilen]

I'm in MI and 2 years ago we had a young jogger "attacked" by a black bear. From the injuries it's almost like it was playing. Jogger was very deeply scratched and infection started. Full recovery & was on a TV show To tell the truth (?). I work in tree/farm (maple syrup) and they use to have bee boxes behind the sugar bush. Bear was always damaging the boxes. But never seen. It's been 10 years and bear(s) still comes around. I camped by the evaporator & bottling room Thursday- Saturday. On bear alert, fresh tracks by pump house. Boss was at his house a mile to the west. He texts me at dusk and a BIG BLACK BEAR was out by his chickens. Dog and him made a lot of noise and it headed east -(great). I'm like pics or it didn't happen, but his eyes were still bugging out the next day.
Oh an the other wonderful thing is a neighbor to the east of the sugar bush, parks his garbage bins at the corner of the sugar bush. 24/7 and daily brings his garbage the mile from his house to the bins. Then nightly ... Well
Yogi loves the picnic baskets.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lrrowe]

[capnTelescope]

Guns and bears, oh my!

I'll step out of the closet. I taught firearms and deadly force to police officers for two decades. Officers in my department fired about 1,000 rounds a year and were very competent with their sidearms.

However, when bad things happen, officers end up hitting their assailant about 1 out of 10 shots. And most police shootings occur under ten yards.

Now put that 10% hit rate in the context of a grizzly charge. It's the same adrenal dump as a police shooting. Grizzlies can cover fifty yards in three seconds. Dump a pistol at a charging bear and if you're lucky you may hit him. If you hit the lottery, it will destroy his central nervous system. If you're semi-lucky hit is in the torso, you'll have to bite your tongue until he bleeds out.

Anyone can hit a bear with a red cloud of bear spray. It's as big as a car and they run into it. The stuff is highly effective. You just have to practice your deployment and get that muscle memory tuned up.

Tony

I couldn't agree more. I don't see anything less that a situation where the bear spray can is empty, it's got me cornered in the 'drop, and I (ha ha) "couldn't miss." Hope I don't blow my own foot off.

Plus, I don't have a handgun big enough that I'd consider it to be effective in the circumstance. It's going to be a 12 iron.

... and ...

it's 2 weeks to process a gun kill on a frizz if you shoot him and like being in court you have to prove the best attacked you bear spray he's gone in 5 mins no federal red tape or no paper work..

2 weeks in jail, waiting for them to figure it out, would spoil the vacation almost as much as becoming bear poop. Totally a last resort.

[tony.latham]

Cap:

You're gonna be lucky if you see a bear.

Tony

[capnTelescope]

Cap:

You're gonna be lucky if you see a bear.

Tony

I hope the only thing I get to shoot is video.

[Philip]

Cap:

You're gonna be lucky if you see a bear.

Tony

I hope the only thing I get to shoot is video.

That is my hopes also when I head out west.

[lrrowe]

I understand all the points mentioned here and yes agree that I cannot produce any evidence that here in Virginia, at least where I go into the woods, that bear attacks have recenty happened on humans. But I will add that bear sightings that I am aware of here, have increased. I contribute this to the reduced hunting pressure in this area and therfore an increased in the Bear population around me. Me, personally, I see bears every year and an unnerving amount of bear scat. But then again, I go off the beaten trail a lot, mainly in the George and Jefferson National Forests.

Beaing a past Boy Scout and not a person to just let things happen as they may, I am usally prepared for many things that might happen. I am very comfortable around guns, am a Range Safety Officer, and tend to legally carry a more then adequate caliber and yes, Bear Spray. I agree that I would go for the Spray first. During an encounter last fall with my 12 year old grandson and my son, we encountered the largest Black Bear that I have come up on. When it started towards us, I drew my pistol to my side, pointing to the ground and my son had the Bear Spray. It was not my intention for the gun to be used as a first line of defense and to try and shoot him. I was planning on using it to first make noise and be prepared with the Spray. Fortunately after making a lot of noise and presenting a large silhouette, it took off in the other direction.

You never know what you might do when challenged and I hope whatever we do, it will be the right thing. No where in my thoughts did I think about what the law might think later. In fact, last fall I did talk to a Game Warden about what would happen should I ever end up killing a beat in self-defense. The bottom line is that if I had reasonable justification, that being forthright with the law would be the smart thing to do.

[alaska teardrop]

A recent Canadian black bear experience for you, Captain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCqmotxyME

[lrrowe]

And he seemed to have only a recurve bow.

[capnTelescope]

He sure didn't pull out the pepper spray.

What happened while the camera was looking at the puddle? Was he playing dead? Did he taste bad and the bear just left?

[tony.latham]

'I should have shot a long time ago,' he said into the camera.