Possible Grizzly Attack?

[BCRiverBoater]

I heard a rumour that there was a possible grizzly attack yesterday or a few days ago. The alleged attack of a hunter happened near Kluachesi Lake. Hs anyone heard anything about this or have any details? Most likely would have been a resident hunter as the guided hunters are not usually to close to Kluachesi due to the resident pressure.

[XPEIer]

I hope not, my hunting buddy is in there this week. He flys out tomorrow so I will get the details

[kootenayelkslayer]

Hopefully not, I have a buddy hunting there right now as well. A bunch of guys from PG are there right now I believe.

[swampthing]

I know a guy in there with his kids right now. Keep us posted.

[Piperdown]

Yes there was an attack, he is in Edmonton hospital in an induced comma. The bear is dead his partners found the bear but do not know the full story as he was in shock. Works with my bro and is a great guy. Should make it but a bad thing no the less. A couple of prayers and well wishes would help!

[riflebuilder]

Prayers are with him. terrible thing to go through, hope pulls through

[REMINGTON JIM]

Prayers are with him. terrible thing to go through, hope pulls through

Ours as well ! RJ

[BCrams]

Know a fellow quite well who was up there this week as part of the company hunting trip they do every year. Hoping for the best news / outcome. Kluachesi / Muskwa has way too many grizzlies for the amount of tags they let out.

[BCRiverBoater]

We run into several grizzlies every year that we are up there. They could easily have 25+ tags in both of these units.

[srupp]

hmmm sad indeed however there is one less grizzly in there courtosy of another member on this site..

our prayers for the outdoorsmans recovery

steven

[BCRiverBoater]

I was hoping the rumour was not true. Hate to hear these stories. Wish him and his family well through these tough times. Glad to hear the bear was found and put down.

I would love for all of these anti grizzly idiots to get their heads out of their asses and actually come to the back country. After a few of them get attacked maybe they will start to listen to the true conservationists that spend their lives in real grizzly country. The resident hunters, hikers, fishermen and GOS are the ones with the proper information. The rest sit in the big city in an office staring out the window wondering why they don't see any bears. Maybe they should get off their fat behinds and come up North and spend a week in a small tent with no rifles and see how they sleep.

[Bear Chaser]

M.Potzold I'm afraid you are right.

Unfortunately the biggest loser will be the bears as with no trophy value or chance to hunt them a lot more grizzlies will simply be dusted and left in the bush to rot. There is already far too many grizzlies in the northern areas for the number of tags being allowed. Freelance population control will occur by those who feel the need.:-(

Hopefully the hunter has a speedy recovery and no lasting effects.

[jml11]

I just flew out of the lake yesterday (or today...long drive from Muncho...) and there was an attack. It occurred down the valley towards the Muskwa. The CO visited our camp to inform us...we were told the individual was 'all-right' but the bear was still around. The CO came back the next day and they spent a fair amount of time flying around down the valley. They eventually slung out a bear...

I don't have the whole story as Urs with Liard Air told us a different story than the CO (one version says he was surprised in camp, another says he walked in on a kill...but both said he was only roughed up a bit so I am surprised to hear he is in an induced coma??). I can confirm there are a ton of sows with cubs in there this year and a lot of resident pressure with a lot of success on moose and elk (means lots of gut piles). We had a few problems with bears as well but fortunately none ended badly for us or the bears (warning shots were needed though). One member of our group had a grizzly authorization but only came upon sows with cubs...

One member of our group this past week also knows the pilot of the float plane the group was using and should get the whole story soon.

[pappy]

Best wishes for a full recovery for the guy involved. I'm glad they got the bear.

[b.c hunter 88]

its alway's a cruel reminder how a great day of the woods can turn into a nightmare in just second's
hope for the best on the guy

[limit time]

Best wishes for a full recovery for the guy involved. I'm glad they got the bear.
Why is that?

[Grumpa Joe]

I think the idea is that if the bear has had that kind of contact it will likely be even less fearful of humans and more prone to repeated negative encounters. Exactly the same as black bears who become habitualized to urban areas becoming more brazen. Just my 2 cents.

[jml11]

Got some more information on this. Sounds like the hunter may have killed the bear himself during the attack but the hunter is apparently in pretty rough shape in an Edmonton hospital. The incident is still under investigation by the CO service.

[jml11]

Another update from a friend of the pilot who flew in the group:


The gentleman that got mauled is a Vanderhoof resident. I spoke to a family member yesterday and this is what they could tell me. They were walking into their camp approx 1/2 mile from the end of the lake. XXXXX's niece noticedshe had left her sleeping bag back at the plane. Conrad said he would go back as there was still a few items in the plane that he needed to grab. Somewhere when going back to the plane, or from the plane back to camp, hewas attacked by a sow and cubs. He managed to get 5 shots into her, (probably the 5 fast shots you guys heard that afternoon). After the attack he managed to walk back to the camp. He was seriously injured, but isexpected to live. His arms were all ripped up and have gone through surgery. Apparently there was a lot of muscle and tendon damage. His jaw is broken on
both sides and his teeth were knocked out, along with facial cuts and on his back. He was flown to Edmonton hospital and is on a ventilator tube as his throat was very swollen. They cannot do any reconstruction surgery to hisface until the swelling goes down and can get him off the tube. The game wardens did find the bear and that was what we saw getting hauled out.

[Rackmastr]

Good to hear the hunter survived, and good on him for getting shots off into the bear. May have been the only thing that saved him from the sounds of it.

Wish him a safe and efficient recovery. Be safe out there guys!

[jml11]

Another update from a friend of the pilot who flew in the group:


The gentleman that got mauled is a Vanderhoof resident. I spoke to a family member yesterday and this is what they could tell me. They were walking into their camp approx 1/2 mile from the end of the lake. XXXXX's niece noticedshe had left her sleeping bag back at the plane. Conrad said he would go back as there was still a few items in the plane that he needed to grab. Somewhere when going back to the plane, or from the plane back to camp, hewas attacked by a sow and cubs. He managed to get 5 shots into her, (probably the 5 fast shots you guys heard that afternoon). After the attack he managed to walk back to the camp. He was seriously injured, but isexpected to live. His arms were all ripped up and have gone through surgery. Apparently there was a lot of muscle and tendon damage. His jaw is broken on
both sides and his teeth were knocked out, along with facial cuts and on his back. He was flown to Edmonton hospital and is on a ventilator tube as his throat was very swollen. They cannot do any reconstruction surgery to hisface until the swelling goes down and can get him off the tube. The game wardens did find the bear and that was what we saw getting hauled out.


More:


Spoke to his nephew this morning,
Pretty much the same story, he will get his face/jaw operated on today. The bear attacked him and he fought it off then shot it twice. Leg was also bit up, forearm and hands. The bear bit him on the face causing the broken jaws and lips ripped open, as well bit him on top of the head and back.

[Philcott]

What a terrible thing to have happen. We all know there is a possibility of this happening to us but hopefully not too many will be attacked.

Sounds like the guy will have a long road of recovery. I wish him and his clan the strength to persevere.

[waynorth]

things happen fast when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hope he has a speedy recovery and continues hunting.

[yota]

I hope his recovery is speedy and and all is well soon.

This thread makes me think of everytime i go up north and i hear of locals not hesitating when they see these beasts and waste no time just cause of how "over populated" they are and how unpredictable they can be. I sure hope they open up a few more tags for these areas where it seems year after year us as hunters keep having issues with attacks and unfortunite encounters.

[hellojello74]

I am sad to hear this, and am also hoping for a speedy recovery. That is some beautiful country but it is truly wild. One summer/fall personally had over 25 griz sightings in that neck of the woods.

[whitetail assasin]

Our prayers go out to him, In Alberta it is said we don't have any bears left, but everytime I go out in the mountains a see more and more...I bet the antis are going to try and turn this around on the poor guy, saying he was at fault.....we wish him a speedy recovery and pray he doesn't let this incident stop him from enjoying a great past time

[browningboy]

All the best for the hunter, my best wishes.

[44inchStone]

Another reason why 44 Mag, 300 grain Corbons were born.
Never a good thing to hear of any attack. Have been on a few grizzly hunts and it seems every trip ends up hearing about an attack somewhere. You really need to have your wits about you in the timber and never let your guard down for a second. All the best to the hunter and his family.

[hatchet Jack]

Another man down here in Alberta! See attached article.Hope booth these guys make a full recovery! Seeing more and more Griz in the southwestern foothills. Bow hunter friend ran into one in a spot we never normally see them.My rancher buddy laughs at the bioligists population estimates. Says he has more than that in his backyard!

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/national/Injured+hunter+scares+grizzly+with+gunshot+near+Sw an+Hills/7266132/story.html

Hey .44inchstone was going to take my 44rem magmodel94 trapper into the mountains for bear spray. What do you think of the federal 240 grain hydra-shok jhp's?

[markt308]

another scary story. In a ten day hunt my buddy and I had 3 grizz encounters this year durring archery season in the koots. all of the encounters were too close, the farthest being 80 yards away. Being that close is a little too much for me. I fully understand that most times these bears are not interested in harming us, but it's almost like just a little bit of bad luck can be the difference between an encounter and an attack. Hope this guy pulls through

[.330 Dakota]

Anyone making a comment about the poor bears on this site obviously is from 'THE OTHER SIDE" and should be banned immediately. I am sure just as there are CO's lurking here,,there are anti's lurking as well. I know the CO offices in Ontario are full of anti-hunters. Their plan back east was to infiltrate and harass. If they are willing to penetrate the CO career they are on our website...bet on it. Jus sayin

[Johnny G1]

Good to hear the hunter survived, and good on him for getting shots off into the bear. May have been the only thing that saved him from the sounds of it.

Wish him a safe and efficient recovery. Be safe out there guys! Edmonton news says that said grizzly found dead 150yds from the man was attact, atleast the shot he got off did the job, hope all is well with him today.

[hatchet Jack]

These stories remind me of Yukon outfitter Chris Widrig's experience.
link below for those who have not read it!
Stay safe out there Gentleman.
Lots of Bruins around.
regardless of what David Zuchini says!

http://www.widrig.yk.ca/articles/BearAttack.htm

[Hanrahan]

Anyone making a comment about the poor bears on this site obviously is from 'THE OTHER SIDE" and should be banned immediately. I am sure just as there are CO's lurking here,,there are anti's lurking as well. I know the CO offices in Ontario are full of anti-hunters. Their plan back east was to infiltrate and harass. If they are willing to penetrate the CO career they are on our website...bet on it. Jus sayin

I moved to Rupert from Ontario and lived there for 6 years. I have since moved back to Northern Ontario for work, and can say that the CO's here are a real pain. Some are good and hunt themselves, but a lot are out to harrass people. I've had a couple of run ins with them.
A number of years ago I was hunting up north of Smithers and wandered up on a moose kill that was half buried in the sand. There were grizz tracks all around it and I can tell you that the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was sure we were being watched and immediately chambered a round in the .338. Got out of there as fast as possible, making sure we weren't followed or ambushed. I was charged by a grizzly once up in the Northwest Territories and I know how fast it can happen. Always be alert when hunting in Grizzly territory and carry a firearm big enough to put one down. I hope everything turns out well for the two men who were attacked. Stay safe out there.

[killman]

Thanks for the info guy's. Conrad's attack was the the one I was seeking info on. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

[cascades]

http://www.dawsoncreekdailynews.ca/article/20120920/DAWSONCREEK0101/309209976/-1/dawsoncreek/grizzly-attacks-hunter

Hunted up there about 10 years ago, bears were on the kill sites very quickly. Spooky stuff. Hunt in pairs and flag your kills so one doesn't stumble across a gut pile.

[hatchet Jack]

Here is Conrad on TV looking good and eager to hunt again!
Good for you Conrad.
All the best.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/09/24/bc-grizzly-attack-fort-nelson.html

[hatchet Jack]

Sorry I think this has attached CBC video link.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/09/24/bc-grizzly-attack-fort-nelson.html