# Man Shoots Bear in Kent County



## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4945965&nav=menu44_2

By RACHAEL RUIZ
*SAND LAKE* -- A man shot and killed a bear in northern Kent County while hunting. But will he face any consequences? State law says you need a permit to shoot a black bear, and only in certain areas, which do not include Kent County. But the Department of Natural Resources says its investigation shows a dog was chasing the bear, and as it was trying to get away the bear got close to a group of three hunters. Bill Tippett of Kentwood was out turkey hunting with his son and nephew on his sister-in-law's property in Sand Lake. At first, they thought the bear was a black dog. It didn't take long to realize it was actually a bear. "I seen something black flash by, and I looked through my binoculars, and I see it was a bear," said Tyler Smith, Tippett's nephew. "I saw it round the corner and run right at us, and I had to shoot because I was protecting my family," said Tippett.
Two gunshots and the black bear was down. Bill Tippett says the bear's paws were bigger than his hands, and the animal was so heavy that it took three grown men to load it into a DNR truck. While black bears are not rare in Kent County, this wasn't your average encounter. "They're attracted to bird feeders, they're attracted to pet food and garbage cans," says Christine Hanaburgh of the DNR. The DNR says in the last 5 years, it has had about 200 black bear sightings and complaints in the lower third of Michigan's lower peninsula. And while black bears may look intimidating, experts say they're typically shy by nature and not really likely to hurt you.
"If it looks like it's threatening you a little bit, it may mean you are too close to it, and it's feeling threatened," says Hanaburgh. Bill Tippett says he did feel threatened, and that's why he shot it. He has seen black bears before in the Upper Peninsula, but says he will never forget the day he saw one this close. "I was shaking, I couldn't believe I had actually shot a bear," he told 24 Hour News 8. DNR officials say Bill Tippett is not likely to face penalties, considering the circumstances. If you have a permit, then you can shoot black bears in Michigan during the months of September and October, in areas like northern Newaygo County.


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## BVW (Jul 25, 2002)

Interesting, i guess the Bear had to be pretty close to go down with a Turkey load.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

BVW said:


> Interesting, i guess the Bear had to be pretty close to go down with a Turkey load.



"Turkey _Loads".......**_


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## NEMichsportsman (Jul 3, 2001)

Strange story, the video is interesting as well.

I guess somebody would have to be there to know how they would act, but the story strikes me as a bit odd.

Interesting observation about the Turkey Loads.


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## Gobblerman (Dec 19, 2004)

I have a hard time believing that a bear is going to be put down by a turkey load. I also have a hard time believing that this bear was a danger to them. I heard a dog was chasing the bear. Why did'nt the man just stand up wave his arms and make lot's of noise? Something about this story just does not add up.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

I hate to speculate on things esp when I wasn't there first hand but to my knowledge black bears rarely attack unless it's a sow with cubs or one that's habituated. This one was neither. If it was being chased by a dog, I think it may have ran towards them trying to avoid the dog without realizing they were there. He must've been fairly close for a turkey load to take him down. My initial thought when I saw that last night was the same as what Gobblerman said though. I guess we'll see as more info becomes available.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

He probably didn't know a dog was involved until after it was shot. 

Bear close enough to kill with turkey loads = self-defense for him and his family

I doubt he had much time to ponder what was going on (there's a comercial on the tube about that now) search the interenet, call the C.O., etc.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I have all the confidence that I could do great damage to a bear out to 20 yards with the 3 1/2 inch loads I shoot out of my 835.

The way turkey loads are made now days to shoot tight patterns the pattern is pretty small at close range. I will have to go test fire mine and see what they are at 20 yards.


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## Sib (Jan 8, 2003)

Hmm, seems fishy. The article is fairly vague, didn't have enough facts, like distance, weapon used etc. We know they were turkey hunting and that's about it. It also says they saw it was a bear through their binos. :16suspect I mean if you need binos to tell it was a bear you have plenty of time for a warning shot, which probably would have redirected the bear. Not many facts, but fishy, imo.


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## Molson (Apr 18, 2003)

Gobblerman said:


> I have a hard time believing that a bear is going to be put down by a turkey load. I also have a hard time believing that this bear was a danger to them. I heard a dog was chasing the bear. Why did'nt the man just stand up wave his arms and make lot's of noise? Something about this story just does not add up.





I agree.

Something is wrong with this story. 

I had a "somewhat" similar experience, but no shot was fired.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139039


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## dtg (Jun 5, 2003)

I remember reading an article in the Woods N Water a couple of years ago about a couple of different turkey hunters that were attacked by coyotes. Both said they shot at the yotes, but the turkey shot didn't kill the them. It did however turn the yotes away. So, how is it that turkey shot can't kill a yote, but can bring down a bear that big? I guess time will tell all. Maybe he had a couple of shells loaded with buckshot, just to be on the safe side?


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## matt73 (Feb 3, 2003)

The article also says the DNR is NOT going to give him a citation. I would think that the first thing they would look at is the size shot the guy was using. At 10 yards out of a full turkey choke your basically shooting a slug.

If you had a bear coming hard at you and your kids are you going to stand up and wave, then check to see if it's being chased by a dog or shoot? Give me a break.


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## Sib (Jan 8, 2003)

matt73 said:


> The article also says the DNR is NOT going to give him a citation.


Actually it The DNR said he is "_not *likely* to face penalties._" Which indicates the matter may not be resolved yet.


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## omega58 (Sep 3, 2003)

When I first heard the story, I was thinking. . .seems fishy. But when I saw the news last night and the interviews, it seemed like he was just trying to protect his nephew and son. I would have done the same thing.

As far as the binos spotting it, I think they may have and figured it wouldn't come near them, but then turned and headed right towards them. It ended up landing right near where his son was sitting according to the interview, so I would say that is pretty darn close. 

As far as standing up and trying to scare it, I am guessing that they were just thinking it would keep going the same way and just to let it pass and then it turned right towards them. . .do you try to scare it away and hope it doesn't harm your son or nephew, or do you try to make sure you do everything in your power to stop it?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I agree Omega, I will give him the benefit of the doubt and it sounds as though the DNR is too


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## dtg (Jun 5, 2003)

I would treat it differently if my 3.5 yr old daughter was there, that would be one dead bear....or wounded severely. if i was by my self, I would probably try to scare it first, then if that didn't work, bang. I love how everyone says, they aren't USUALLY aggressive, well, I know of three deaths in Ontario from people out in the forest replanting trees to a runner that ended up as bear scat.

I've heard that if you don't want a run in with a bear, then you should talk or sing loudly as you're walking through the woods, well, if your out hunting, that's gonna scare away your game as well. So, what do you do? Is that pepper spray legal here? I don't think it is in Canada, I know my old pilot told me that he couldn't let me board knowing that I had pepper spray. The cabin was the only one on a 15 mile long lake and it had claw marks all over it. I didn't feel all that safe being way out like that without communication or some sort of defense, other than a few #1 hooks and a fillet knife. I should note that the "cabin" was nothing more than 1/8" OSB with a tarp roof. He wasn't allowed to build a permament structure on that lake. I'll huff and I'll puff and blow your house down.:lol:


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## Rusher (Jan 6, 2006)

Those dog size bears are really dangerous:lol:


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## omega58 (Sep 3, 2003)

Rusher said:


> Those dog size bears are really dangerous:lol:


Depends on the breed of dog you are referring. . . .how about a mastiff? 

Here's a link to TV 13. . .I stand corrected, it landed near where his nephew was sitting after the first shot.

This also says he WILL NOT BE TICKETED.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/grmetro_article.aspx?storyid=55059

Also, here is a link to the GR Press article as well. . .if someone calls the DNR to report the incident afterwards, I'll say he is legit and did what he thought he had to do.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-29/1148568453272480.xml&coll=6


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## Sib (Jan 8, 2003)

To the guys credit he did contact the DNR immediately, so though some of us might have done things differently, I don't think he's hiding anything because after the fact he did the right thing. The story sounds strange, but some times truth is stranger than fiction.


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## DROPTINE 14 (Jan 20, 2006)

i know for a fact that a 3" turkey load will drop a coyote in its tracks but a bear has one heck of alot thicker skin and ribs and muscle ,if infact it was taken with legal turkey loads that is a great advertisment for that brand . i believe although unsubstantiated that the DNR will look into what was used as far as shot . it might look a little fishy if he was turkey hunting with a .300 mag  LOL


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## poz (Nov 12, 2004)

I can't believe the doubters of turkey loads, From the sounds of this the bear was close. shooting an animal this close with just about any shot size any shot size will do damage to it, especially if it's hit in the head. Take a watermelon and shoot it at 10 feet with regular 6 shot and see the damage it does, come on guys quit doubting this guy, obviously the DNR is smart enough to check for buck shot. The guy was in a situation and reacted, we can all sit back and play arm chair quarter back. but we weren't there. we don't have to make this guy out as a poacher or something bad.


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## KalamazooKid (Jun 20, 2005)

It's real easy in hindsight to find all kinds of reasons to *not* shoot this bear (see above posts) ..... but if I'm in a blind with two kids (didn't catch their ages), *I'm coming up with guns a BLAZIN*. Sorry, but I'm shootin first and askin questions later! This is of course, once I've identified my target and determined its course to be coming at me/us.

Same goes for that damn cougar that's roaming my property!


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## NEMichsportsman (Jul 3, 2001)

Had to delete several posts prior to this one....I guess we will send this one to the archive.


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