Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Brown bear mauls hiker near Bird Creek(AK)
Anchorage Daily News ^ | 10 June, 2012 | LISA DEMER

Posted on 06/11/2012 7:50:51 AM PDT by marktwain

A brown bear mauled a hiker on an offshoot of the Bird Creek Trail south of Anchorage early Sunday, and the man escaped by scrambling up a tree, Alaska State Troopers said.

Ben Radakovich, 30 of Eagle River, was about three miles from the trail head hiking alone when he rounded a curve and met up with a bear cub.

"(The encounter) scared the cub and the cub turned around and high-tailed it out of there," said Beth Ipsen, trooper spokeswoman.

Then the sow attacked. Radakovich was wearing a backpack, which provided some protection, and carrying ski poles, which he used to fight the bear.

Ipsen said it wasn't clear whether he had time to drop and tuck his body into a ball or whether the bear first bluff-charged. But the bear attack went on for a while, she said.

During a lull, Radakovich managed to break away and climbed a nearby tree. He told troopers a rush of adrenaline propelled him to the top, maybe 30 feet up.

From the tree, he called 911 on his cellphone at 7:42 a.m. He could hear the sow grunting in the brush at first. Then it grew quiet.

---------------------------cut------------------

Radakovich was carrying pepper spray, but everything happened too fast for him to use it, Ipsen said.

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Sports
KEYWORDS: ak; attack; banglist; bear
I guess this counts as a failure of bear spray.
1 posted on 06/11/2012 7:51:09 AM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Ski poles should be considered “bear toothpicks”;)


2 posted on 06/11/2012 7:58:16 AM PDT by Frank_2001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Regardless of what is your choice of Bear Repellent, if it is not quickly and easily accessible for use with little warning, it likely won't help you.

3 posted on 06/11/2012 8:00:07 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
The very best bear spray is cans of spray paint. You smear the cans with bacon grease and toss them about 100 yds from your camp site.
4 posted on 06/11/2012 8:03:06 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Beagle8U
The very best bear spray is cans of spray paint. You smear the cans with bacon grease and toss them about 100 yds from your camp site.

Yikes! Somehow I think that FWS wouldn't approve of your methods.

5 posted on 06/11/2012 8:34:37 AM PDT by Disambiguator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Beagle8U

LOL

You forgot the /s tag. LOL

I’d slather my slowest moving friend with bacon grease and walk away....


6 posted on 06/11/2012 8:46:17 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live athrough it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Can we please say “Amish bear”?


7 posted on 06/11/2012 8:47:14 AM PDT by THE_RAIDER
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Bears just doing what bears do. When you’re in their house, these things happen.


8 posted on 06/11/2012 8:48:55 AM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
He told troopers a rush of adrenaline propelled him to the top, maybe 30 feet up.

I bet it did! Lucky for him his arms and legs were still in working order.

9 posted on 06/11/2012 9:55:21 AM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

They should both sit down and discuss this over a few beers about trespassing into domains.

Actually, the bear was there first.

The hiker was the intruder.


10 posted on 06/11/2012 11:24:19 AM PDT by Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)

Bear claims SYG


11 posted on 06/11/2012 11:38:02 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy ("Who among us can resist the allure of really funny math puns?" - Willow Rosenberg)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
Actually, the bear was there first. The hiker was the intruder.

You may give up your position at the top of the food chain if you like. I worked hard for mine, and intend to keep it.

12 posted on 06/11/2012 4:40:24 PM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Vendome
That wasn't sarc. It works and makes it easy to identify problem bears, just look for the ones covered with yellow paint.

No, park rangers wouldn't approve, but once a bear bites down on a spray can they forever lose any interest they had in human camp sites.

13 posted on 06/12/2012 3:48:37 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson