megimoo
09-22-2009, 11:23 PM
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - While walking with his dogs near his house in Soldotna, a snap of a twig prompted Greg Brush to glance over his shoulder.
When he turned, he saw a bear charging full speed at him from less than 20 yards away. Backpedaling, Brush was able to fire his gun once or twice. It was enough. The bear dropped dead.
"Came with zero warning," Brush told the Anchorage Daily News of the Aug. 2 bear encounter. "No woof, no popping of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what you think."
Brush said the brown bear, which he estimated at more than 900 pounds, looked starved and probably saw him and his dogs as dinner.
The fishing guide said he carries a pistol on walks because bears have chased his dogs before. He barely had time to shoot.
"Total luck shot," he said. "It doesn't get any closer. He slid by me on his chin when I shot him," Brush said. "I was backpedaling as fast as I could. I wasn't even aiming. I tripped over my own feet as I pulled the trigger."
The brown bear shot is one of nine that have killed by people who are not hunters on the Kenai Peninsula this year. Last year through mid-August there were 25 such deaths. Hunters have killed five more.
The fall hunt season is scheduled to begin Sept. 15, and state biologists want to make sure that no more than 10 female grizzlies of reproductive age are hunted. They will end the hunt if the number of dead females approaches that cap.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/aug/14/alaska-mans-quick-shot-kills-charging-bear/
When he turned, he saw a bear charging full speed at him from less than 20 yards away. Backpedaling, Brush was able to fire his gun once or twice. It was enough. The bear dropped dead.
"Came with zero warning," Brush told the Anchorage Daily News of the Aug. 2 bear encounter. "No woof, no popping of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what you think."
Brush said the brown bear, which he estimated at more than 900 pounds, looked starved and probably saw him and his dogs as dinner.
The fishing guide said he carries a pistol on walks because bears have chased his dogs before. He barely had time to shoot.
"Total luck shot," he said. "It doesn't get any closer. He slid by me on his chin when I shot him," Brush said. "I was backpedaling as fast as I could. I wasn't even aiming. I tripped over my own feet as I pulled the trigger."
The brown bear shot is one of nine that have killed by people who are not hunters on the Kenai Peninsula this year. Last year through mid-August there were 25 such deaths. Hunters have killed five more.
The fall hunt season is scheduled to begin Sept. 15, and state biologists want to make sure that no more than 10 female grizzlies of reproductive age are hunted. They will end the hunt if the number of dead females approaches that cap.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/aug/14/alaska-mans-quick-shot-kills-charging-bear/