Ultra Marathoner Attacked by Bear Near Forests for the World

  • Thread starter George Jones
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In summary, a local ultra-marathoner was attacked by a bear while running and was lucky to survive. The bear later tracked and killed her with euthanasia. Other people in the area have also been mauled or killed by bears.
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  • #2
Wow, luckily the guy is okay and wasn’t hurt too badly. Keep yourself safe, too, George!

Though, I must confess, I’d absolutely LOVE to live somewhere that had wild animals roaming nearby. All I see are squirrels and seabirds. And pigeons.
 
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  • #3
I worry about my sister. She found a bear footprint once where she likes to hike.

This guy is lucky he wasn't killed. Good thing the dog drew the bear away.
 
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  • #4
Wow, bears sound dangerous indeed. Although I don't understand why they later tracked her, chased her, and killed her with euthanasia. Any reason for this or there is no particular reason? :confused:

Still, am I the only one here who is excited about the idea of seeing a bear?
 
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  • #5
Psinter said:
Although I don't understand why they later tracked her, chased her, and killed her with euthanasia. Any reason for this

Revenge.
 
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  • #6
Seriously, a bear that has learned not to be afraid of people and is willing to attack one once might very well do it again.
 
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  • #7
Psinter said:
Still, am I the only one here who is excited about the idea of seeing a bear?

I must be among the last generation to remember Yellowstone before they separated the bears from the people. They had free run of the campgrounds where we stayed and just like Yogi would make off with an unattended picnic basket. This was mid 1950's.
Some people hand fed them, but rangers would write you a ticket for that.

old jim
 
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  • #8
Psinter said:
Still, am I the only one here who is excited about the idea of seeing a bear?
Nope, you are not. Like I said previously, all I get around here are pigeons and squirrels. If you're lucky (like, super duper waaay lucky) you might come across a coyote, but that's it. I envy George Jones.
 
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  • #9
We regularly get bears (and moose, which also can be very dangerous) at work; see

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/workplace-hazard.694221/

Once, after a city bus I was on went around a sharp curve in the street, I saw a bear on the sidewalk. The bear looked at the bus, decided that the bus was much bigger, and took off running. The houses of at least four different families of friends have had bears in the yards. One friend and a bear met nose-to-nose at a corner of his house. They both were startled, and they started running in different directions. When we drive to adjacent cities/towns, we often see bears near the road.
 
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  • #10
Vanadium 50 said:
Seriously, a bear that has learned not to be afraid of people and is willing to attack one once might very well do it again.
This is exactly the case in most all bear/human conflicts, in this case though the main factor seems to be the guy was running around a bend (surprised the bear, never a good thing) and there is nothing like dog meets bear to get an unfavorable reaction, so all in all the guy is very lucky and the bear wasn't. Here in NW Montana dogs are known as bear bait, one doesn't prefer to have a dog along during a bear encounter because usually after the dog gets the bear excited he will bring the bear right too you thinking your going to save him. Dogs and bears don't usually mix well so the fellow George is posting about is double lucky.
Here are a few local news stories from 2015, all within 30 miles of where I live. As you can see most people mauled or killed are either surprising a bear or just asking for trouble by feeding them. Often people survive but the bear rarely does in the end.
http://missoulian.com/news/local/wo...cle_24715b7a-7559-510a-8d55-718f4994be34.html
http://www.kbzk.com/story/30513397/grizzly-bear-euthanized-in-northwest-montana
http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_d5ad6640-c1d0-5cb5-b096-0d295b76d1ea.html

Also George is correct about the dangers of moose, I would much rather bump into a bear than a moose who is having a bad day, (Moose never seem to be having a good day).
 
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  • #11
Psinter said:
excited about the idea of seeing a bear?
Plenty of that sort of excitement where I live, the Grizzlies are out of their dens and have come down to the valley to scrounge. They are pretty shy though, it's the black bears that are getting more troublesome. (They love it when people put out bird feeders).
 
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  • #12
1oldman2 said:
Plenty of that sort of excitement where I live, the Grizzlies are out of their dens and have come down to the valley to scrounge. They are pretty shy though, it's the black bears that are getting more troublesome. (They love it when people put out bird feeders).
That sounds cool. :biggrin:

But they shouldn't eat the bird's food :sorry:. Bad bears.
 
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  • #13
Psinter said:
Bad bears.
They are just bears doing bear stuff, (It's what bears do best) :wink:
 
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  • #14
jim hardy said:
I must be among the last generation to remember Yellowstone before they separated the bears from the people. They had free run of the campgrounds where we stayed and just like Yogi would make off with an unattended picnic basket.

What exactly is a bear anyway? A cross between the abominable snowman and a domesticated dog?

I remember camping out in Yosemite as a kid in the 70's one summer and waking up with the camp ransacked by black bears because we left the sm'ores and peanut butter jars out on the picnic tables. It was a disaster (as Trump would say)! Thankfully, they didn't take their foraging into our weakly protected tents.
 
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  • #15
I watched a park ranger chase a big ol' bear off somebody's picnic table with a 2X4.
He had the psychological upper hand with those bears.
They'd beg for food like a puppy dog but were timid of humans.
We are after all taller than them and they're not sure whether we are equipped with claws and fangs .
Remember Jack London's line from "White Fang" - 'the dog learned about a man with a club.'
But i wouldn't want to encounter one that hadn't been so conditioned.

We've had a neighborhood mountain lion for some years now. He seems to have solved our stray dog problem .
 
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  • #16
jim hardy said:
I watched a park ranger chase a big ol' bear off somebody's picnic table with a 2X4.
He had the psychological upper hand with those bears.
They'd beg for food like a puppy dog but were timid of humans.
We are after all taller than them and they're not sure whether we are equipped with claws and fangs .
Remember Jack London's line from "White Fang" - 'the dog learned about a man with a club.'
But i wouldn't want to encounter one that hadn't been so conditioned.

We've had a neighborhood mountain lion for some years now. He seems to have solved our stray dog problem .
I can have an artificial fang called a sword. :biggrin: Katana power.

A mountain lion?! I want to see it too! I just looked at some pictures and they have the same eye color as a woman I once met. Or maybe it's the woman I met that has the same eye color as them... I don't know the order :confused:. It's like a golden yellow? (I just checked, it appears to be called hazel on humans, for some reason I know it as golden yellow, not hazel)

All the places mentioned here sound dangerous :nb), but kind of cool. :biggrin:
 
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  • #17
1oldman2 said:
Plenty of that sort of excitement where I live, the Grizzlies are out of their dens and have come down to the valley to scrounge. They are pretty shy though, it's the black bears that are getting more troublesome. (They love it when people put out bird feeders).
No fair, you live somewhere awesome, too :biggrin:
DiracPool said:
What exactly is a bear anyway? A cross between the abominable snowman and a domesticated dog?

I remember camping out in Yosemite
Ay caramba, a fellow Californian, yourself, eh?
jim hardy said:
We've had a neighborhood mountain lion for some years now. He seems to have solved our stray dog problem .
The parks around here always have those "You Are In Mountain Lion Country/Habitat/Territory" signs, but I've never seen anything. You're lucky, too! :frown:
Psinter said:
I can have an artificial fang called a sword. :biggrin: Katana power.
I'll ask my friend to give you his on lend.
Psinter said:
A mountain lion?! I want to see it too!
Phew! At least you haven’t seen one, either. Psinter, where dost thou dwell?
 
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  • #18
Although we have bear here, I've never seen one. However, I did see a Florida panther walk by my house a couple of years back. At first I thought it was a bobcat, so I went outside with my shotgun. I met the panther eye to eye on the back side of the house. He looked at me and lept into the saw palmettos. That was when I saw his tail and knew it was a panther and not a bobcat. Plus he was much bigger. Good thing he was faster than I was, harming a panther is worse than murder in Fl.
 
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  • #19
ProfuselyQuarky said:
Phew! At least you haven’t seen one, either. Psinter, where dost thou dwell?
I generally dwell in my bed. :-p

Just kidding, but my place is not that interesting. It does not has and never had exotic animals besides the colorful birds which do not impress me anymore (and I doubt them being exotic). They are cute, but that's about it.
Kevin McHugh said:
Although we have bear here, I've never seen one. However, I did see a Florida panther walk by my house a couple of years back. At first I thought it was a bobcat, so I went outside with my shotgun. I met the panther eye to eye on the back side of the house. He looked at me and lept into the saw palmettos. That was when I saw his tail and knew it was a panther and not a bobcat. Plus he was much bigger. Good thing he was faster than I was, harming a panther is worse than murder in Fl.
Now, from the panther I would be really scared. :confused:
 
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  • #20
Psinter said:
I generally dwell in my bed. :-p

Just kidding, but my place is not that interesting. It does not has and never had exotic animals besides the colorful birds which do not impress me anymore (and I doubt them being exotic). They are cute, but that's about it.

Now, from the panther I would be really scared. :confused:

Panthers are very shy creatures, and you rarely come into contact with them. They will bolt as soon as they see or hear you. No need to fear them.
 
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  • #21
Kevin McHugh said:
Panthers are very shy creatures, and you rarely come into contact with them. They will bolt as soon as they see or hear you. No need to fear them.
I see. :smile:
 
  • #22
Kevin McHugh said:
Panthers are very shy creatures, and you rarely come into contact with them. They will bolt as soon as they see or hear you. No need to fear them.
Same cat here only they are brown with black markings, they are shy and seeing one is very rare but there are a lot of them around. Some in the last few years have lost their fear of man and are known to stalk people as well as pets, This seems to be a trend in the western U.S.
A couple of days ago snow came down to about 4,000 ft. this pushes our local black and grizzly bear as well as other predators down into the valley so everyone here knows to expect the critters.

20160522_131646.jpg
20160522_133323.jpg
 
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  • #23
1oldman2 said:
Same cat here only they are brown with black markings, they are shy and seeing one is very rare but there are a lot of them around. Some in the last few years have lost their fear of man and are known to stalk people as well as pets, This seems to be a trend in the western U.S.
A couple of days ago snow came down to about 4,000 ft. this pushes our local black and grizzly bear as well as other predators down into the valley so everyone here knows to expect the critters.

View attachment 101215 View attachment 101216
You live in an extraordinarily beautiful place! :oldlove:
 
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  • #24
Living where you do, way up in Prince George (and by the way, there's a new Royal named after your town) no wonder you have bears and moose. I'm just 50 km east of Vancouver (in Mission) and black bears roam our streets quite frequently. Last year as I was driving home actually at the speed limit I noticed a black shadow zipping by my car on the passenger side. When it passed my car enough to reach the front of my head lights, I saw it was a black bear. It must have passed me by at least 10 - 15 km/hr and I was going 50ish. When they say a bear can outrun a horse, believe them. First time I ever saw a bear at top speed. Apparently this guy had been chased off his favourite garbage spot by a dog. They don't like dogs. And, yes, once they have been acclimatized to living off the avails of human city life they are usually euthanized. Often these bears are young males whose moms have given them the boot and they are too small to fight for a new territory. So they invade ours. They usually try to relocate them but that often doesn't work. And, besides, right now there is an overpopulation of black bears so if relocated they either find more humans or are killed by a bigger bear whose territory they've trespassed.
Just a side note about panthers (cougars, mountain lions) you usually never see them because they come up from behind and they are very silent about it. Smart hikers wear sunglasses with the little mirrors or just look back a lot. But they'll only usually attack humans if they are extremely hungry like during a drought.
 
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  • #25
1oldman2 said:
Same cat here only they are brown with black markings, they are shy and seeing one is very rare but there are a lot of them around. Some in the last few years have lost their fear of man and are known to stalk people as well as pets, This seems to be a trend in the western U.S.
A couple of days ago snow came down to about 4,000 ft. this pushes our local black and grizzly bear as well as other predators down into the valley so everyone here knows to expect the critters.

View attachment 101215 View attachment 101216
That is a good looking place. Have you ever been to that mountain? If I lived there I would have probably said:

"Mom! I'm leaving for the mountain, don't expect me tonight!" and leave on an adventure :biggrin:. Let's see, I'll take some chips, bread, ham, cheese, and lots of water with me. Maybe a few apples for an appetizer. Let's go, let's go, let's go! Oh, the Katana, I almost forgot it.

Do you think a cheap microwave motion detector will detect bears moving in the vicinity while I sleep at night?
 
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  • #26
Psinter said:
"Mom! I'm leaving for the mountain, don't expect me tonight!" and leave on an adventure :biggrin:. Let's see, I'll take some chips, bread, ham, cheese, and lots of water with me. Maybe a few apples for an appetizer. Let's go, let's go, let's go! Oh, the Katana, I almost forgot it.
You forgot a gallon of strawberry lemonade...

and canned peaches...
 
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  • #27
Psinter said:
Have you ever been to that mountain?
In the first image that one is called Grey wolf peak and I haven't been on it. The area (mission mountains) is great hiking though.
Psinter said:
Do you think a cheap microwave motion detector will detect bears moving in the vicinity while I sleep at night?
Yes, but if you aren't sleeping with your food your pretty safe anyway.
 
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  • #28
ProfuselyQuarky said:
You forgot a gallon of strawberry lemonade...

and canned peaches...
And your fishing pole ! (I prefer the fly fishing) :cool:
 
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  • #29
ProfuselyQuarky said:
You forgot a gallon of strawberry lemonade...

and canned peaches...
That sounds very yummy. :thumbup:
1oldman2 said:
And your fishing pole ! (I prefer the fly fishing) :cool:
I like fishing, although I would leave it for another expedition. :tree: :tree:
 
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Related to Ultra Marathoner Attacked by Bear Near Forests for the World

1. What led to the attack of the ultra marathoner by a bear near the forests of the world?

The attack was likely triggered by the presence of the marathoner in the bear's territory. Bears are known to be territorial animals and can become aggressive when they feel threatened or when their space is invaded.

2. Was the ultra marathoner aware of the potential danger of running near bear habitats?

It is not clear whether the marathoner was aware of the potential danger. However, it is always important to research and be informed about the potential risks and precautions to take when entering wild animal habitats.

3. How common are bear attacks on humans, particularly in marathon settings?

Bear attacks on humans are relatively rare, especially in marathon settings. However, the risk increases when humans enter bear habitats, especially during the bears' active season.

4. What precautions can be taken to prevent bear attacks in marathon settings?

Some precautions that can be taken include avoiding bear habitats during their active season, making noise to alert bears of your presence, and carrying bear spray as a deterrent. It is also important to be aware of signs of bear activity, such as tracks or scat, and to avoid running alone in bear country.

5. What should someone do if they encounter a bear during a marathon?

If you encounter a bear during a marathon, it is important to remain calm and avoid making sudden movements. Back away slowly while facing the bear and do not make eye contact. If the bear charges, use bear spray or any other deterrent if available. If the bear makes contact, play dead by lying on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your neck and legs spread apart to protect vital organs. Do not fight back unless it is a last resort.

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