# Black Bear Attacks



## uptracker

I heard today that 1/3 of all bear attacks are black bear attacks, so I looked it up. This is why I carry a handgun whenever I'm in the woods. Don't get me wrong though, I still like bear hunting, other hunting and general woodsmanship....I just don't want to be a statistic on Wiki for a bear, wolf or *cougar* attack.:lol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade


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## uptracker

Here's cougar and wolf attacks too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_wolf_attacks


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## Steve

And according to the Wiki (for what it's worth) the last victim in Mi was an "unknown male" in 1979. I'll take my chances.


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## uptracker

Doesn't that mean we're about due for one Steve?

I don't think that's correct either... now that I think about it. A little girl was taking off of a porch up here a few years back. There are some others from either 2006 or 2007 from northern Ontario campgrounds that were'nt listed either. 

Anyways, there's quite a few black bear attacks on there hey?:yikes:


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## uptracker

Nevermind, that was in 1948. Just looked it up.

Here's some info...not sure how accurate it is though:

" Although black bears are large and powerful animals, they are not normally aggressive toward man. Black bear attacks are responsible for only three deaths in Michigan, the most storied attack occurring in the Eastern U.P. on July 7th, 1948 - A three year old girl was playing on the porch of the family cabin when she was snatched by a black bear, carried into the bush, and partly eaten. 
To put the safety issue in perspective, national statistics show for every person killed by a bear, 17 are killed by spiders, 67 by dogs and 180 by bees and wasps. 
Black bear sightings have become more common in recent years. In the past few years, there have been confirmed bear sightings in Bay City, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Midland, and Clarkston. 
To many a hikers distress, the location of bear sightings is increasingly becoming the campground. Fortunately, the bears do not want the campers, merely the coolers, picnic baskets, and other food related items that they can drag off for a quick snack."


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## solohunter

Just be carefull getting to the UP, 41,000 people died in the US in car accidents last year, about 850 per state,, that doesnt include the injured or maimed! I would feel safer in my tent than on I-75 any day,,,,
However on the other side I have seen alot more bear in the last 5 years up north than I have every seen growing up up there, I can honestly say that the population is out of control and nothing is being done to control it. i reffernce eastern alcona county where one bear station has 8 differnt bear coming in on camera, one in oscoda county 15 miles away that has at least 6 coming in.


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## swampbuck

Steve said:


> And according to the Wiki (for what it's worth) the last victim in Mi was an "unknown male" in 1979. I'll take my chances.


There have been a couple dog hunters attacked in recent years. Remember the guy that had 1 bullet. Also 2 or 3 years ago there was an unprovoked attack on a man in Luzerne in his yard.

There are dangerous encounters every year, You just dont hear about them unless there is injury. I have faced one down in the swamp while picking blueberries VERY SCARY. I dont however feel the need to carry unless I am hunting. But if carrying makes you more "comfortable" in the woods by all means do. I would rather see someone out there enjoying themselves. And if they are relaxed (not nervous) they will have less chance of making other mistakes.


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## Rooster Cogburn

There have been several people injured in the Porcupine Mountains State Park over the years, mostly blamed on food in the tent, etc. In one incident the individual climbed a pine tree and ended up falling to his death. The Under sheriff told me they found claw marks 40 feet up in the tree, concluding the bear was intent on the victim. 

There has also been several people injured by wounded bear in Michigan. One of the most severe was a client guided by a commercial baiter. He woulded a big bear and when he approached it the bear recovered enough to maul him....he needed to be transported to Marquette for medical treatment by helicopter.

My personal opinion, inspite of all the "expert" opinions & propaganda, an individual is in more danger should you encounter several wolves in a group while hiking in big country...and you don't have a gun. For someone who don't believe that...I dare you to come up here and try it.


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## uptracker

I hear ya Rooster. I know several people who have been followed by single wolves. One guy was walking right down the shoulder of a highway when a car stopped and said, "Get in in, a wolf is following you." He looked back and there he was. Another time, a trapping buddy of mine got out of his truck to set some traps. He heard something behind him and turned to look. 20 yards away was a wolf staring right at him. Later in the day, he had a few more encounters with the same wolf. Eeery!

You never know!


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## grizzlyadams73

Man hurt in rare bear attack
By JOHN PEPIN, Journal Staff Writer POSTED: August 31, 2008 




ISHPEMING - An Ishpeming man was treated for bear bites Saturday at Bell Memorial Hospital after he inadvertently put himself between a sow black bear and her cubs.

"What this is going to be is a textbook classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Elton Luce, who investigated the incident. "The timing on this was just absolutely perfect for that bear to attack."

At about 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Timothy Saxwold, 51, was walking with his 115-pound Labrador and Bavarian mountain hound mixed dog on his property, which is located about a half-mile south of the South Camp Road, north of Ishpeming.

Apparently, neither Saxwold nor the sow initially knew the other was in the area of a two-track road. The location was reportedly near a place where Saxwold has cut lanes for archery.

Luce said the sow was off on one side of the road about 10 yards away from Saxwold and the cub was about the same distance away on the opposite side of the road.

"He got in between that sow and her cub," Luce said.

With Saxwold's dog walking ahead of him about 20 yards up the road, the sow jumped out and stopped about 15 yards away from Saxwold.

Saxwold tried to follow bear-human threat protocols by making himself look large and yelling and waving his shirt in the air.

But Luce theorizes the bear was taken by surprise by Saxwold's presence and instead of taking traditional defensive measures of its own to intimidate Saxwold - such as popping its jaw or standing on its hind legs - it charged and attacked.

The sow bit Saxwold's right forearm, leaving puncture marks on the top and bottom. The 200-pound young female bear let go of its bite when Saxwold kicked her.

But the sow then charged again and bit Saxwold on the palm and top of the same hand. Saxwold's dog then turned on the sow with teeth bared.

"The dog came charging after the bear," Luce said. "The dog jumped on the bear and bit the bear on the hind quarters."

The dog then ran down the road about 50 yards and the bear pursued, but stopped once she realized the dog was no longer within threatening range of her cub. Luce said Saxwold saw one cub, and perhaps two, briefly when the bear initially charged.

With the dog down the road, the bear now turned and ran back toward Saxwold. But this third approach saw the bear growling and popping its jaw, making no additional attempt to attack.

"A neighbor on the next forty over was picking blueberries and he heard the screaming and came over on his ORV and found the victim," Luce said.

Saxwold was taken by the neighbor back to his house. He then drove himself to Bell Hospital for treatment of the non-life-threatening wounds.

Luce and a DNR biologist visited the area later in the day. Saxwold agreed with them that the bear was doing what nature taught it to do by defending her cubs. Consequently, there are not plans to attempt to trap or kill the bear.

"She was just trying to neutralize that threat," Luce said.

The attack is considered rare, with black bears typically known to be a docile species. Luce said the DNR biologist from Marquette had only heard of one similar incident over the past decade.


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## michigan_hunter

uptracker said:


> Nevermind, that was in 1948. Just looked it up.
> 
> Here's some info...not sure how accurate it is though:
> 
> " Although black bears are large and powerful animals, they are not normally aggressive toward man. Black bear attacks are responsible for only three deaths in Michigan, the most storied attack occurring in the Eastern U.P. on July 7th, 1948 - A three year old girl was playing on the porch of the family cabin when she was snatched by a black bear, carried into the bush, and partly eaten.
> To put the safety issue in perspective, national statistics show for every person killed by a bear, 17 are killed by spiders, 67 by dogs and 180 by bees and wasps.
> Black bear sightings have become more common in recent years. In the past few years, there have been confirmed bear sightings in Bay City, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Midland, and Clarkston.
> To many a hikers distress, the location of bear sightings is increasingly becoming the campground. Fortunately, the bears do not want the campers, merely the coolers, picnic baskets, and other food related items that they can drag off for a quick snack."


Kind of odd to hear about that little girl again. That incident took place in baymills my home town.That little girl was from midland mi up on vacation with her family. After that little girl was found they set some dogs out to track the bear and they ended up shooting and killing it.The bear was sent away to be tested and the results showed that it had a form of mental retardation.I know the family of that little girl really well


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