He's lucky there was even a phone in that tree. With the proliferation of cell phones it's hard to find a pay phone anywhere.

Still Tom Brady.

I think to too. Thank goodness he WAS able to clim that tree. Very lucky man

Ain't that the bear naked truth. Kids don't go hiking without the bear essentials, such as a cell phone.

If you don't want to be chased up a tree by a bear.........stay out of the woods.

Tom Brady is not a Bear.

If you don't want to be chased up a tree by a bear.........stay out of the woods.

I'm confused, in what part of the article did the man blame the bear for attacking him? He most likely knew he made a mistake but that's part of the risk in hiking in that part of the world. I don't get the need for a uninformed remark on your part outside of just commenting to comment.

cheetah-too funny!

It sounds like he bearely survived that grizzly scene! If he had been killed, it would be unbearable for his family.

" LUCKY " would be that if the bear just licked him and left!....So to me, not so lucky! You also have to say to yourself! "Maybe this isnt the best time of year to wonder the Alaskan wilderness" ..........I dont believe in "LUCK" i believe in CHANCE and chance favors the prepared! What if he wasnt able to climb that tree? what if he didn't have a cell phone?

It is best to hike with a friend .Just make sure that you can out run him or her

Six inch model 29 Smith and Wesson in your fanny pack will equalize those situations.......

BROOKE IN FT LAUDERDALE

I think to too. Thank goodness he WAS able to clim that tree. Very lucky man

Thank goodness it was a brown bear. A black bear would have easily climbed right up after him.

help ive been mauled and i cant get down.good thing he had life alert

That's true Backcountry the bears around me climb trees..,and sleep there

"If you don't want to be chased up a tree by a bear.........stay out of the woods"

I guess this idiot doesn't get into cars, either. Much bigger chance dying in a car than in the woods. Idiot.

HEY!! I want more information!! They arrived two hours later to WHAT?!? Was the bear still there?!? Did they have to scare it off, shoot it, hunt it? How did he encounter the bear? Was it protecting its cub?

I think if I would be walking around in bear country, I'd prefer to walk around armed with something more than a stick or a rock. Perhaps a .50 cal handgun. Someone once asked me if it would do any good, and I replied, "If you were up a tree and a bear was coming after you, would you prefer a stick or a gun?"

j70141 in Colorado: if a cub was present, the adult bear was protecting it. The bear was swatting at the guy, he said and he protected himself with ski poles. Scalp wounds bleed heavily. I think it would have said if they'd had to kill the bear. And if he wasn't hospitalized, the wounds couldn't have been life-threatening.

I used to live in Alaska and I wouldn't go into the woods up there for any amount of money. I saw too many hunters come back from a weekend jaunt, with no bounty to show except for the massive injuries many of them suffered. Do I feel sorry. Not a bit. If you go into the woods, where the bears live, you're asking for it. Had he killed the bear, especially with a cub, he would have been in serious trouble. There are plenty of places to hike in Alaska, so you don't have to go into the primitive woods, unless you want to shinny up a tree.

Bear. Cub. Mauled. It all goes together.

I live in Alaska and this is the newspaper article on this story. The hiker was on a trail and had bear spray on him but was unable to use it in time.

The best defense for preventing something like this is to hike in a group or carry bells. In most attacks a person will not have the time to use bear spray or a gun, and if a gun is used it may only anger the bear more.

walking in the woods...or going to the maul...one an the same...in alaska...i hate going to the maul...

Bells? Seriously?? When we lived in Alaska, we called them dinner bells! Thats what you were going to be :)

Thats why Smith & Wesson made the .500 caliber handgun....Maul me if you want, but your going to pay for it...

I don't get it, people carry guns every where and leave it in the car when they pack in the woods in Alaska, Duh. I always carry a pistol when I be packing. Nikki, you don't carry the right gun. 35 Remington TC when I'm in the woods. (For Snakes) lol.

take a gun with hydroshocks the rounds splinter and go in many many different directions like a blender once it hits a body .. you dont even need a .454 casull or .50 mag.. and have it where you can pull it out fast also carry a good knife..

If a bear attacks you, do not think about anything else besides staying alive screw Alaska's laws your life is more important and any law that becomes destructive of these ends is unconstitutional. Trust me Alaskas laws would be the last thing i would care about... charge me = dead bear .. very very dead bear.

That's real funny, Maureen. I was stationed up in the Fairbanks area and went into the woods quite often. Never had an encounter with a bear. Saw plenty of tracks and poop but went the other way most of the time and had NO problems. On a side note guns are allowed in Alaska, both handguns and rifles.

Most people's personal firearms won't stop an attacking brown bear. Even most hunting rifles lack the stopping power to discourage a large brown bear. A guy I know who goes hunting in Alaska frequently once told me that the local guide they brought along had a .44 magnum, and told them if anyone tried to shoot a brown bear with anything besides that gun, he'd shoot them himself, because anything smaller than that just pisses off the bear.

Lucky me, a 44 mag IS my personal firearm :P

Anyone that hikes in the woods needs to have someone with her/him for starters. A GPS and a cell phone, as well as Bear Spray, just in case. A gun wouldn't help, the bear would be on them too quickly to get off a shot, and probably wouldn't stop them anyway. Bear Spray is your best defense. This time of year, Brown/Black bears have their cubs out foraging. Black Bears are not overly protective of their young, they just send them up a tree and leave. Brown (Grizzly) Bears will attack with cubs, as where they forage there are often no trees to send their cubs up, so they must defend them on the ground. Black Bear adults can climb trees, but Brown Bears are too big when adults to climb them. He was quite lucky to survive as he didn't go prepared for a hike in bear country.

"Anyone that hikes in the woods needs to have someone with her/him for starters. "

Yep, I want the slowest person to be with me.

let's laugh and say !!!!...

If you're out in the woods in AK and you run across a trooper and you dont have a 44 mag or better, you will actually get scolded for being a dumbass.

Mossberg offers the JIC models for these instances.. They are lightweight and can stop a bear with a few shots... JIC stands for Just in Case..... The phone was nice to have, but I prefer the gauge....

why would you kill the bear?? you are in HIS territory, now, if a bear came into your home and was trying to steal from you...then defend yourself!! you cant do it when you go into the animals home and then just cause you are stupid, and can carry a gun , you have to kill the animal acting in a natural behavior!!

It is perfectly legal to carry a fire arm when hiking on public property to protect yourself from dangers that may exist in the forest. But as noted in other comments, shooting at a brown bear is not a good idea. Best to keep pepper spray designed for use against brown bears, or bring two dogs with you.

What exactly will 2 dogs do? Are they the sacrificial lamb for you to make a get away? I guess maybe the 2 dogs might try to scare it away by barking, but if the bear is protecting its cub very unlikely she will back down. Bear vs dog or even two dogs bear will win.

First off, what is with all the bear stories in the news lately? Is this a new go to side topic or what? Maybe its just me but seems like every other day for the last few weeks there is something about bears.

Anyways this guy was extremely lucky (especially since his phone worked assuming he was way out in the woods) to put it mildly. He would've certainly become lunch had he not got up that tree. Wouldn't be surprise if it was probably one of those cases when under normal circumstances you don't think you can do it but in this case he was up that tree faster than a squirrel.

From what it appears the guy isn't blaming the bear for anything and I'm glad to see that as he shouldn't. Like others have said if anything he would be the one at fault as this time of the year especially the bears are very active and out with their cubs, meaning more aggressive, so one needs to be very careful and it doesn't sound like he was fully prepared. You should always be prepared for the environment your entering when doing activities like hiking (actually doesn't hurt for your everyday life either). At the very least he should've had some bear spray and while hiking should be making noise to alert bears to his presence, not to attract them, but so he doesn't come across one and startle it. Secondary option would be a gun like a .44 or even worse case a field knife, assuming you have time to get to either, but at least could give you a chance. Though I agree shooting it should be the last resort, always.

Be prepared is not just a motto that the Boy Scouts live by, but one that we all can learn from and apply.

It is time

That would be the' Stand your Ground' law..

JBAbbott,

Pepper spray? I prefer to season my meat after I cook it.

@JBAbbot having dogs along with you is best if you plan on having them eaten instead of you. Best defense against an attack is to let the bears know you are there, bells on shoelaces, talking loudly (hey bear) and a can of bear spray. Lived in Kodiak for 8 years and have come into very close contact on many occasions with the bears there with no attacks. I do however know of 3 people that had to get new dogs after being eaten near the Buskin River.

It is illegal in Montana for a guide to carry a gun for protection. That is why everyone carries bear spray. The man is lucky to be alive and to have cell service.

As far as handguns, I would prefer the 44, but any well placed shot will kill a bear. Of course when he is chasing you, a well placed shot is a little tough so go with large caliber. I will take AVINS hiking with me anytime, he/she can be bear bait.

AVINSV -

He might have shot the bear to preserve his life. It is known as "survival instinct." You, as fully evolved as you are, might have chosen differently. (Hint - you should stay out of the woods, and the rougher parts of most cities.)

This article did not note this, but the man did have bear repellant spray with him, he was just caught off guard and did not have time to react with it. As many of you suggested, shooting the bear in self defense, if he had a gun, is not very Alaska-like. This bear was protecting her cubs. While the man is lucky, he is not necessarily stupid--man of us in Alaska enjoy the outdoors and we all learn to respect one another. It is legal to carry the firearms, some just choose not to and that is okay. It doesn't make on stupid. The guy handled himself well. He is alive. The bear and cubs are alive. All is okay.

You people are just a bunch of comedians, aren't you???? If it were you up that tree you'd bearly be able to stand it...Huh Huh Huh!We just got back from the Smoky Mountains on vacation and saw many black bears up close. Lucky for us ,they are used to people down there. But, anytime a baby is near, you better hit it or be attacked. That's most likely the reason for the attack.

AVINSV says: "why would you kill the bear?? you are in HIS territory"

I guess one might try to kill the bear in order to save one's own life.... It's really that simple.

RECH says: "It is illegal in Montana for a guide to carry a gun for protection"

There are hunting guides in Montana, authorized by the state. They and their clients carry guns. Are you telling me that they can use these guns only if they are NOT being attacked???

Terri says: "You people are just a bunch of comedians, aren't you????"

Well, Terri, they're not really very funny... But then that's what you meant too.

Even a .44 can't do the trick in most cases....454 casull, .500 Smith & wesson, now theres some serious stuff, better yet...Marlin .450 or .45-70...and best of all .458 win. (rifle)...thats what i carried 24/7 when working in Alaska back in 70's....never had to use it, came close a couple times, but they were just bluff charges...

rech!...I've been bowhunting Montana for 28 years, we always carry a gun with us, its only illegal if you kill a grizzly...but i'd rather be illegal and alive, than bear@!$%# in the woods....where does it say you can't carry a gun in Montana?....are you kidding 99% of population is armed at most times....

Actually dogs are smart and if you have 2 they will keep the bear occupied by running at the bear from opposite sides and staying out of reach until you are safely out of reach. Then they will run away and leave the bear. All will be fine from there.

I wonder if this guy is an anti gun liberal.

I'm afraid a gun wouldn't have helped him - either liberal or conservative - the bear is so fast, it would have been on him before he could get off a shot. Bear Spray is much better.

Cough drops and cooking oil?

pcrane,

Sorry brotha, I'd get "shots" off.

Bear spray? They like the taste of that on their fine red flesh like hot sauce on a chicken wing. If there was a cub in the area (as the guy says) bear spray won't do anything but piss momma off even more.

Naw, bear strength pepper spray will stop a bear in it's tracks. Causes respiratory arrest. If you can't breath, you can't move.

On the other hand, they found that once pepper spray is discharged, bears love the taste like cats like catnip. They will roll around in it.

@pcrane1943

I'm afraid a gun wouldn't have helped him - either liberal or conservative - the bear is so fast, it would have been on him before he could get off a shot. Bear Spray is much better.

And how exactly would you be able to discharge the bear spray if there wasn't time to get a shot off with a gun? If the bear is "on you", so to speak, you'd be better off with the gun because with the bear spray you're going to get it as bad as the bear only she's likely to recover first while you're stilling rolling around in blind agony.

I hope they didn't kill the momma bear, she was just doing her job, protecting her cub. Bear spray works most of the time, but not always. First you try the bear spray, if it works, you're done. If not, shoot the gun in the air, which many times will scare the bear away. If all else fails, you have to choice but to shoot the bear, but take the chance of just ticking the bear off more. What you don't do is take a hike in Alaska without bear spray or a gun.

If he had time to climb a tree he had time for a shot, either large bore or pepper spray.

PCCRANE -

I've read this in many posts, and I am curious (no snarkiness intended) - can you draw and use bear repellant spray more quickly than a hadgun? I've fished in Alaska, wading, and have been fortunate enough that this has never been an issue. But, with both hands on a rod, I would assume getting the can out and using it would be just as slow (or slower) than pulling a handgun.

BTW: After fishing in the Susitka basin in Alaska for ten days and seeing no bears, I was trout fishing near Lenoir, North Carolina two weeks later. Turned around and found a fairly large black bear considering me from about 25'. We both went about our business (I didn't have trout on me at that point).

rtg says: "First you try the bear spray, if it works, you're done"

And if it doesn't work? I guess you're finished in that case... Good advvice rtg.

but you can still play dead, right?

Yes

Cant climb trees anymore?? bet with a bear making a meal out of you you would surprise yourself.

Bevvar -

As "Disappointed" indicated, you would be surprised! Terror & adrenaline can be a great motivators and enhancers.

The bear was tired of getting pissed on.

Black bears can climb like monkeys. Brown bears can climb as cubs, but they grow too large to climb trees as adults.

That includes Grizzlies. They can't climb trees either however, I wouldn't want to be the guy to prove that point.

"Black bears can climb like monkeys" Well .. if it climbs like a monkey and walks like a monkey ... it must be ... ummmm .. nevermind. I don't wanna sound racist *sigh*. Don't start with me again Her Peas LOL

Can you hear me now?

Everyone is until it's time to pay the bill.

But, you get what you pay for...

Hello 911 ? You ain't gonna believe this @!$%#...

Did someone dial 9-1-Holy Sh!t ?!

911 speaking...you greased the tree with what ??

diana,

They probably "saved" less lives than they've "killed".

:()fune

Some of these comments are hilarious! Making me smile BIG!

Depending on where he was, chances are that's not the case at all. He's probably lucky to even get out a phone call depending on how high up in the hills he was.

Exactamundo !

Then the F'kin bear ate 'em.

The end.

For those of you who think climbing a tree is the answer - ask any grizzly/brown bear guide in Alaska, they can still climb with those claws. Do not think that is always going to work. Grizzly or Brown bear - play dead, eliminating the threat. Black bear attack - it means they intend to do harm or eat you, fight and attempt to get away. I have seen 350 lb plus bears in trees so do not think that's the end-all answer there either.

Climb that tree like a mother!

The big bears are too lazy to go up after you. And just keep climbing if necessary, like this guy did.

Maybe a black bear would chase you up a tree, but doubtful. They'd be small enough to try, but I've never heard of them pulling someone out of a tree that was high up.

the Preacher and Bear song was song by Phil Harris an old singer and comedian. I have the lp.

This is my favorite comment yet. Sarah to rescue.... LMAF

Now that is funny. Here she (Sarah) is to save the day. I needed a good laugh..

Sarah is probably spending the day looking at Russia out her bedroom window !!

To repeat...Sarah Palin said you can see Russia from Alaska, this is fact, and something we all learned in elementary school, (Aleutians, Bering Strait, geography, any of that ring a bell?) unless you're a complete urban idiot living in a slum where the money for class textbooks is spent on paying fired teachers' salaries in perpetuity and metal detectors.

She never said she could see it from her house. This little story is all about Democrat knuckle-dragging neanderthals taking a fact and turning it into some joke because they hate anyone who disagrees with them.

As far as the bar situation, yes she probably could come in and save the day with her homespun charm. Scare him off by revving the snowmachine or something.

god i can see the reports now "Palin comes to the rescue with a GE Minigun quickly laying waste to the bear its cubs many deer most of the trees, rabbits, foxes, ducks, the sloth, the orangutan ... in thy mercy.

Are you kidding? Two hours to respond to a call in the Alaskan wilderness, and you're complaining? That's pretty damn impressive. I've seen calls in major cities take longer.

Well, it was hard to find the doughnut and coffee shop around the area. The troopers had to drive an hour back to the nearest town.

Trooper #1 to Trooper #2: Two hours ought to be enough time for the bear to leave.

Wow, people. Get a clue. There is so much wilderness up there. The guy was wilderness hiking. This isn't like San Francisco or Dallas where the trail head ("greenway) might be across the street from the police dept.

"Her Peas" is right - impressive reponse time. Kudos to the cops and hopes for hiker's full recovery.

Pretty sure he was attacked BEFORE getting into the tree, not to rain on your parade.

Rich,

Looks like he rtied something different and he was mauled "then" climed a tree and whalah!

He's alive. It worked!

For this guy it was far too late for "not being there," though I'm sure the notion of not being there occurred to him more than a few times while in the tree. Besides, maybe he was on that trail in order to not be somewhere else... He had to be somewhere because no matter where you go, there you are. So at the end of the day, it is what it is.

Hiap was right, the bear attacked him and THEN he climbed the tree.

They need to track the mother and cub down and kill them both not that they have the taste of human it is only a matter of time before they become maneater.

Ruger,

They were here first.

The end.

RichmJones

Idiot

Paul -

re your response to RMJones - terse, but pretty much spot-on!

Your an idiot richmjones...

Paul / mpa = One shot to hit to asses.

http://troutfishing1.newsvine.com

See dictionary for primer, not ignoramus.

Coyotehunter, take a reading course, then read, compose something worthwhile, following that type something of value, without the beer can in your hands.

Hiap - Find someone who can read the comment for you, and then review your problem with comprehension, look up the words you cannot understand. By the time you make a comment, you might have something to say, giving you the benefit of all doubt.

Try again?

Just short primer on Bear Psychology.

Mother Bears teach their cubs to climb a tree, this is an instinct, and is done to keep the cub safe when threatened.

Mother Bears tend to think of trees as safe place for her cubs.

So what you expect her to think if she saw you climbing a tree.

The Mother bear would think that you are trying to get her cubs.

The Mother bear is not smarter than your average bear, and would not matter if her cubs are up a different tree, or right next to her.

While you may have time to think while in the tree, think back, and understand that climbing a tree sends a wrong signal.

I knew a noted psychologist, who had relayed his experience with this after spending 24 hours waiting for the Mother Bear to leave.

But before you venture into the wild woods, make sure you know what you are doing, and do not entice Bears to keep you up a tree.

In fact try something else first, including not being there.

Most times bears make "bluff" charges. That gets many killed, as the behavior is misunderstood as threatening. The bear is saying "I'm scared, stay back". Black bears rarely follow through with the charge. Brown bears usually mean it if they charge however.

I have noticed this "trend" as well OurGovSucks. Every time a person either protects themselves from bears or are simply worried because there is a bear in the area, there is a strange animosity towards that person. Granted I understand that sometimes people do stupid things, like that guy who liked camping right in the area where bears fish and drink, and who finally got eaten by bears, along with his girlfriend. But for the most part people try to avoid bears. Either way, eventho I respect nature, I think people have the right to defend themselves when attacked by bears (or anything else).

Anyway, I am glad the guy got out alive, it must have been the longest 2 hours of his life.

Every time a person either protects themselves from bears or are simply worried because there is a bear in the area, there is a strange animosity towards that person.

Because people are idiots. They don't realize that a bear even "mock" defending its territory or just trying to make a person go away can still f--k your day up badly. Even a black bear knocking you over and running away can still leave you with gashes requiring dozens if not hundreds of stitches. Brown bears are meaner and much larger, and also have a nasty tendency to bite the head.

People seem to be under some sort of strange delusion that bears are these gentle, kind creatures that only attack in the rarest, most extreme circumstances. That's not the case. They'll literally rip your f--king face off and eat you if you don't protect yourself.

Every time a person either protects themselves from bears or are simply worried because there is a bear in the area, there is a strange animosity towards that person.

OurGovSucks left out a few details about that incident. In that incident the guy was leaving out dog food on his porch and the bear had visited the place 4 nights in a row. He would not have had to shoot the bear if he had not created the problem. A fed bear is a dead bear and for that the guy is a moron. Big difference between that incident and this one.

Bassai

In that incident the guy was leaving out dog food on his porch and the bear had visited the place 4 nights in a row. He would not have had to shoot the bear if he had not created the problem. A fed bear is a dead bear and for that the guy is a moron. Big difference between that incident and this one.

Leaving dog food on the porch is definitely not a good idea if there is bears in the area, and I agree with you about this. It makes me wonder if he wasn't doing that intentionally (to sell the cubs), if the bear had visited the place 4 nights in a row ...

Magic, hank?

In Liberalville, they would definitely hunt her down and kill her. But in Alaska, blame is not put on the bear. Sh!t happens when man and beast cross paths.

Road Warrior,

You obvioulsly know nothing about Alaska. In Anchorage they always put out beware of bear signs on trails to warn people of problems. When dumb###'s go on the trail anyway and run into trouble and get harmed they always go out, blame and kill the bear. The conservatives cheer the bear killing, the liberals like myself blame the dumb###.

akgirl,

I would like to learn more about Alaska. I almost took a job in Anchorage with a pipeline maintenance company about five years ago. I was all ready to go, but couldn't agree on a pay compensation package. I think I would like it up there.

AlaskaGirl -

I saw warning postings up in Willow that a bear's meat cache had been found, and it gave a location. I saw those notices for about 20 miles around. So how many trails should I have avoided so as not to run into trouble and be a dumb###?

Just asking.

MPA..no one says you have to kill the bear, more like pop off a round to scare it and go in the opposite direction.

AKgirl...I know what you mean, cant tell you how many stories I've read regarding cubs having to be euthanized because some dumba$$ "thought" they were in danger, especially at the Russinan River.

Road Warrior,

I lived in AK for 42 years, I will do my best to answer any questions.

MPA,

I was referring to signs warning people that a mama bear with cubs is wandering and mama is being aggressive. People still went and someone would get hurt. AKA, they were being a dumb####. In the situation you ran into, I personally would stay out of that direct area, and would always carry a gun while hiking in the wilderness.

Only firearms made us so. Now we need humility.

A hunting bow with a broadhead arrow is considerably more lethal than most small-caliber hunting rifles. People have even taken rhinos and elephants out with them.

great point, a small bore would only make the bear more peed off

What is the purpose in taking out a rhino or elephant? Not for food. That would make you a poacher then, a vile despicable type of human. Also, if you surprised a bear, he/she would be on you before you brought the bow out. Please think before posting.

Yeah, and that goes for Central Park after dark too. No bears? There are worse creatures.

In the not-too-distant future, the bears will be gone (like the bison), and Alaska will be just another place for subdivisions, mineral extraction and hard winters.

I'm curious do you even live in Alaska?

I've been using the trail systems around Alaska for over 20 years and have had multiple bear encounters and not once has it gone bad. If you hike or bike in pairs and make your presence known and try to avoid traveling early am and late in the evening when visibility is reduced this is the best way to avoid getting attacked, oh yeah and keep your composure when you do have an encounter, don't panic!! Most attacks occur when the bear is surprised, so make some noise people!!

I have been dealing with a 13 year old girl lately, I perfer to take my chance with the bears; they are nicer and hurt you less.