Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Saskatchewan Woman Killed By Black Bear While On Her Phone

I read years ago the difference between most black bear and Grizzly attacks, other than protecting cubs, that black bear attacked to eat you. Where as Grizzly's are just afraid or territorial. Though I'm sure grizzly's kill people for food.

Maybe some of you Canadians or Alaskans who live around Grizzly's can comment on this.

I will say this though one of the most gruesome photo's I've ever seen was of a guy partially eaten by a coastal grizzly.

I can never open the FOX news videos. They go to black almost immediately. ???

Maybe they are supporting BLM

Predatory attacks by black bears happen more frequently than with Griz/Brown. But there are far more blacks than griz, so i don't know what the bear per capita attack ratio really is. Plus blacks have a far wider distribution range with far closer proximity to humans.

Attacks by either are very rare, considering. For every bear/human contact the person is aware of, there are likely 10 or more that only the bear is aware of.

Bearanoia is way overblown.

That's why I am almost always heeled "out there".

"Seems"might be the operational word and pretty much out of line. Ask Greg Brush about that... his little "bark and crap" brought on an attack from a very large brown bear right outside his house in Soldotna. Unfortunately for the bear, Greg was armed and able to pile the bear up right in front of him with a large revolver.

Try telling Rick Bin that...

What ever the cause and reason, the often, shy, reclusive and some times comical North American black bear, is our most dangerous human predator. They are very unpredictable and when they decide to "get it on" the deceptively fast and powerful beasts can kill any human being in a hurry.

I take every encounter with them with caution and remember a late September evening with a very large and aggressive black bear. The quick burst from the bushes, the low growl, the jaws popping and the lips flying like loose blubber. By the time I got on the trigger a mere 25' separated us and the bear turned and ran to a tree faster then I thought possible before I completed the trigger press, and I was in a hurry.. I honestly think some times they don't know what they are doing from one moment to the next.

They walk through the forest like silent ghosts.

Point taken, this from just last year....

https://abcnews.go.com/US/bear-kills-minnesota-woman-shes-searching-woods-dogs/story?id=65397758


....I'd still rather have the dog tho, depending on the dog.

Tarkio—the article I read said the woman was talking on a Sat phone as their cabin was located on a remote fly-in lake.
Birds—I know of at least 2 other cases of people getting killed on small Islands.
In my own experience I have noticed that bears on small islands locally are always big boars.
Big boars make up the majority of predatory (Black)bear attacks not Sows with cubs.

She was flown out to Hospital and pronounced dead at Buffalo Narrows—if that helps any Tark

When I go out to see why the dog is barking, I'm always armed with something. The dog is usually barking at a coyote (shoot it), a deer or elk (tell the dog to shut up), one of the neighbors cows (wrist rocket slingshot), or cougar. The only time it was a bear, it was dark and I thought it was the neighbor's black angus. This error in identification resulted in my being armed with a Louisville Slugger, rather than the more appropriate, Lee Enfield. If not for the intervention by the dog, I might have been in trouble. GD

My heelers were always discouraged from chasing wildlife, tho I'd cut 'em slack on rabbits, squirrels and possums. Generally they'd stay close and could easily be called back. I ran into mountain lions twice in the dark during their lifetime, both times they alerted by posture and attention, did not bark or give chase. They only encountered a bear once, in my cousin's backyard in PA, a known nuisance black bear with ear tags, my two heelers were loose on the back porch, both dogs barked from a distance. The bear stood facing them for a bit, looked like every hair on its body and legs was standing up, then it moved on.

Dunno if they were afraid of the mountain lions or the bear, doesn't matter, they didn't go out of their way to pi$$ 'em off and they let me know there was something there, same way they did with feral hogs. But again I don't live or hike in bear country.

I have a good sized blackie that likes to bed under the overhang of my remote cabin. He's been around for at least 6 years, now. I call him my watch-bear, as he seems to keep smaller destructive bears away - and doesn't much mess with the cabin if I do my part. Better the one you know.....

One night several years ago, several days after we took up visiting residence, I went down to the landing 100 yards away to check on the boat. No gun. Coming back, I found him looking to go to bed, 10 feet from the door, on my side. We had a 10 second stare-off, and he wasn't blinking. Only thing for me to do was charge!

Now I put on my rubber boots AND my gun for the evening boat-check.

Thanks.

Was wondering if it was anyone we might know or know of near our place in Saskatchewan.

Sitka deer;
Good afternoon to you sir, I hope this last Wednesday of August 2020 has been a good one for you and this finds you and yours well.

Where exactly I've read the stats on this I can't recall just now, but it might could have been one of James Gary Shelton's books on bear attacks here in BC, but indeed there's been multiple cases of dogs tangling with bears and then bringing the bear back to the owner for another round or three.

In fact that happened to the wife of a chap I know in a nearby village and though she later credited the dog for saving her, the way I read it the dog caused the initial attack. Again I may be incorrect on this local attack, but don't believe I am on the other detail.

What exactly went on with this lady in Saskatchewan I can't say of course, not being there, but as other posters have said bears are into an eating phase for sure now.

Hopefully I can be forgiven for once again saying that in a lifetime of dealing with bears - some in Saskatchewan and lots more here in BC, they all ran away like good bears until one didn't.

Truly Sitka it finally did as well, but I would have been in front of a tribunal for verbal abuse and uttering threats if you know what I'm saying, prior to it reluctantly leaving.

Now for sure and certain I'd let it know it was 2½lb away from being in a stew pot as I had my .308 Norma pointed at it, but didn't feel like packing an idiotic bear out of where we were situated that warm, early fall morning.

One supposes that those folks either had never met a recalcitrant bruin and survived or for whatever reason chose to not be armed. Even though we're Canada, it's still not an impossibility to obtain a firearms licence and unless I'm wrong, it's legal to pack a firearm for bear defense in Saskatchewan. I know it absolutely is here and is in fact encouraged in some areas and on some jobs.

My thoughts and prayers are with the husband and son as that's most likely a heavy load to carry for the remainder of their days for sure.

All the best to you all this fall Sitka and good luck on your hunts.

Dwayne

My old Brittany accompanied me out of camp one morning, me armed with a shovel and a roll of toilet paper...dog took off like a shot up the hill, fairly thick timber, came back about 12 seconds later with ol' bruin in pursuit. She stopped when I rared up and started clacking her jaws, always a bad sign, desperate for something intelligent to do, I started banging the shovel on a big log and hollering and in my spare time kicking my damn dog to get him out from between my legs. It all turned out well, but I now think about the wisdom of a dog at the time of year when cubs are close to mom.