Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Brown bear attacks hunter

Sounds like trailer-envy, Klik!





This part of whelennut's post,

suggests that he thinks the snow mobiles were used to run the bear, perhaps to exhaustion, in order to effect a kill.

That would be illegal as well as unethical. I have NO reason to think that is the case with Wes.

Snow mobiles have been used for backcountry activities since the first Briggs & Stratton lawnmower motor was affixed to a Flexible Flyer sled with modified roto tiller treads.

Klikitarik,
I am one of those people who obey the law. I flew in a Super Cub to get to where I was going to hunt the next day.
I saw a nice caribou but did not shoot it because it would have been illegal.
Of course the guide offered to shoot my caribou for me. He said lots of hunters do that because they are not good shots.
It seems silly in a way because here in Minnesota I can drive my truck right out to the deer stand and get in the stand and shoot a deer five minutes later.
I would like to shoot a brown bear someday, but I don't want to shoot it from a helicopter, or a boat.
It doesn't bother me to shoot prairie dogs from a vehicle but they are varmints.
When I bought my caribou license in Anchorage the kid behind the counter said he takes his snowmobile and a Min-14 and kills caribou to feed his village. That doesn't seem like hunting to me either but it is putting meat on the table.
I'm sure it goes on in Minnesota on the Indian reservations.
I don't care for ATV's either but they are nice for hauling a bear out to a road I'm sure.
I realize nobody cares what I think about it but chasing animals with a vehicle is not permitted where I grew up.

An argument could certainly be made citing that method as the ultimate hunting. It's not "sport" hunting though.

I think many folks assume that running game to exhaustion is how it works. While that is certainly true in some cases - running foxes is a good example- it is hardly the rule. (And perhaps some people imagine what they would do if they were so set up, I don't know.) In my view, using an airplane to gain access, even if one must wait until midnight passes to hunt, is much more like cheating in many instances than is using a ground or snow transport system. But that is my opinion, and this isn't really a question of what anyone thinks. And perhaps you have more info on what Wes and company were doing than I do. I know we have a sometimes poster here who has a brother up in Nome. Perhaps he has an inside on things, perhaps not. All I have to go on is the fact that snowmachines and other kinds of equipment, just like scopes, rangefinders, cartridges, and a whole array of technology, provide means and methods - advantages, that we didn't previously have to "hunt" and kill animals. We can borrow from the anti's and indict anyone who uses whichever of these advantages we happen to dislike, or we can understand why, how, and where they are important and use them within the law and our own personal boundaries (ethics) to our advantage. I am far enough away and disconnected from Nome (thank God) to avoid community gossip, so perhaps I'm missing some important "facts". But I know Wes to some degree and have not been led to believe that he operates across the line. In fact, he has always impressed me as one who has gone out of his way to be as much of an asset to the community (and the region) as one will find. I realize that one could be very service oriented and not play by the rules, but the two just don't seem to be a real logical fit, at least lacking higher political connections.

In Alaska, the law is very clear on (and assumes the use of) means of transport like boats, ATVs, snowmachines, etc. The law quite clearly spells out how they can and cannot be used. No one is bound to use every legal means (obviously) in attempting to take an animal.So one does not have to use any method they have issues with. Most people won't come out and hunt in some of these really remote places under the conditions where machines are the only way to access the hunts (though, surprisingly, fewer have issues with using planes.) Admittedly, riding a plane and riding a snowmachine are night and day in terms of difficulty and bodily wear.

I have no issue with judging harshly those who use illegal means and methods. I would hesitate to judge, however, the use of methods or means which are assumed to be used illegally, unethically, or otherwise contrary good taste based on inadequate knowledge or information.

If you have reason, (if you know) something about this incident that counters "innocent until proven otherwise," you can PM if you like. Otherwise, I think it quite unfair to suggest otherwise.

Boy, did I screw the pooch on that post.

I should have typed:

I have NO reason to think that is the case with Wes.

My apologies for that mistake.

I edited the above post to reflect accuracy.

Thanks! Been guilty of dropping the "n't" and such a time or several myself. No harm, no foul.

BTW, while it sometimes sounds like there are more than a few "assumers," I didn't mean to suggest you were one of them. I thought perhaps you had an inside line on ugliness that I was unaware of. And if that should be discovered to be the case here, this probably isn't the time for further beating the lesson into anyone's head, a head which has been sufficiently beaten for the time being I suspect.

I saw that post and was hoping it was a mistake, not like you to judge without knowing all the facts firsthand.

all I know about the incident is 2nd hand or greater.

That they thought the bear was dead and were about to take pictures when the bear came at him.


Still wishing Wes the best. Any updates?

How's that for deflection?

Haven't heard anything, are they still investigating it or did they conclude that it was all done legally? I'm thinking that rag, the ADN, would have run the conclusion to the story if it they had it.

I hope the injured man heals up. I'm sure he will have a good story to tell. If you have to track a wounded bear with a snowmobile he must not have been hit very good IMO.

Hello to the Fire.
I have been following this thread from a distance and thought I'd add a couple thoughts. First of all I'm an aquaintance of Wes and family, not what you would consider pals but in this little town most of us are familiar. I don't intend to speak for anyone regarding Wes's condition or prospects for recovery but Ironbender inquired about an update so I will pass on what I know to be his current condition.
As of June 2nd Wes is still in Harborview and will remain there for quite some time. He has undergone multiple hours long surgeries in attempts to perform some reconstruction to his lower jaw.
On the 1st he endured an 11 hour surgery by a team of trauma surgeons and it's my understanding his tibia was used to construct a lower jaw and some thigh muscle was used for muscle to work that jaw.
There are rumors regarding his sight in the eye that was damaged and all I know is that it's not positive he'll have vision in it.
He is a stong individual and one who has the respect and admiration of this entire community as well as a good swath of western Alaska. He was hunting with a man who I consider to be one of the best bear hunters around this country and I have no reason or knowledge to believe they were doing anything outside the law. They are both extremely well respected as hunters and outdoorsmen and good men. The kind you hope your young son grows up to be.
Wes is an EMT and the partner he had with him is a Dr. and the Drs. son is a med student and it's my opinion that has a whole lot to do with him surviving the first couple hours.
Enough of my opinions.....
The bear if anyone is interested was quite a specimen to say the least. I'm not sure what his hide measured but the skull was 26 4/16 at the ADF&G office and that is a grizzly bear skull.
This episode has had a profound impact on this town. The community has come together as only a small town does to aid in any way the family of a man who for 30 years has given much of his time and effort to help any who needed it.
It has also been an eye opening exerience for me and other avid bear hunters I know.
The only reason Wes is alive today is because of the HAM radio his partner had on him. As many of you know there is a short supply of available options for communicating in any way and in an emergency time is of the utmost importance.
I think an ebay purchase of a sat phone may be in order.
There has been lots of speculation about what and why and how this happened to a man who has literally thousands of miles of spring travel experience under his seat and many many bear hunts also. All I can say is if can happen to them it can happen to anyone. I would like to see the assumptions of whether they were doing it "right or doing it wrong" fade away. They were out hunting grizzlies in the spring on snowmachines. This country is big. The machine makes it a bit smaller. They saw a bear. A big bad ass bear. It smacked Wes around. Badly. The bear is dead. Lessons were and are learned.
I'm glad that Wes will live to see his kids have kids and they can point to the rug on the floor and say that's the bear that almost got Grandpa. That bear would become an instant family heirloom in my house.

Good post and update

I hope it turns out ok for the man.

Thank you Scott. (And appropriate, if wasted, comments toward those sickos over on the "Maul".)



This is a bit about what's happening in Nome on Wes' behalf:





http://www.nomenugget.net/20110602/20110602.pdf

And in case you aren't aware how truly sick some homo saps (I can't find it in myself to call them human) are:



http://thedailymaul.com/?p=1320

That right there says a lot.


Appreciate the update Scott and you taking the time to post it. Also happy that Wes survived and knowing that a man like him has the best chance of the best recovery by being tough and a fighter.

I still feel badly that I mistyped the post back up a bit. I wish Wes a full recovery.

Very glad to hear that he will ok. Sounds like he went through one hell of an ordeal and is lucky to have had the right people with him. We wish him a speedy and full (if that's possible) recovery.

whelennut,

I didn't see in any of the articles or recounts of the story where this bear was wounded before he jumped Wes. I don't believe they were following a blood trail, just tracks in the snow. Someone please correct me if I missed that info.

My impression was that they approached it for a picture thinking it was dead. There are a lot of people posting and newspaper stories, so I am a little confused about it myself. The guy sounds like he will be in for some plastic surgery for awhile.

Good post Scott,

From my perspective, I can see why those who live in the lower 48 would question the use of snowmachines. Your comment "This country is big. The machine makes it a bit smaller." is an understatement. Until a person hunts the tundra of Alaska, and see's with his own eyes the vast, open tundra, it will always be hard for them to comprehend just how big Alaska is.

I don't know Wes, but I've met Dr. Stang a couple of times. Borrowed a snow machine from him. Great guy, great hunter. Bear hunting expert is probably more apt. As are you.

26 4/16"s puts that Grizzly way up in the record book, way up there. Maybe top 75 All-Time. This incident brings home why they are classified as dangerous game. They are finely honed killers. A bear that size fears nothing in his domain. He stands alone at the very top of the food chain.

"There has been lots of speculation about what and why and how this happened to a man who has literally thousands of miles of spring travel experience under his seat and many many bear hunts also. All I can say is if can happen to them it can happen to anyone."

That is the lesson indeed. You can probably count on one hand the guys in that town that have the same amount of experience as they do. Remembering that should keep this whole sad affair in perspective. Beings your one of them guys on that hand, I sure hope you get that sat phone. I'm sure Sandy feels the same way.

I wonder if the brown bears have a bulletin board and put up 'Hunter attacks Brown Bear!' threads during hunting season, which the member bears read aghast? I guess I'm just the curious sort...