More Bear Attacks

Somewhere the bears around here got the idea that it's open season on humans. There has been 5 or 6 bear maulings just since I've moved up here.

August 5th, a teenager in Eagle River was walking home along a creek when he heard splashing sounds in the creek along side the road. He didn't think much of the splashing, figuring it must of just been salmon. A second later he heard the brush snapping and cracking next to him. When he looked he saw a full grown brown bear coming out of the brush in a full out run towards him.

Devon showing his bandaged body and shredded pants

The teenager ( Devon Reese) said he knew the attack was on and even though they say the best thing you can do in this situation is to drop, cover your head and play dead. The bear may nibble on you a little but hopefully it'll figure you for dead and no threat and leave you alone. Devon said to heck with that. If the bear wanted him, he was going to have to earn it. With that Devon fought back. Swinging with fists, elbows and feet. As fast and furious as he could. The bear got in the better of the licks to say the least. Gouging Devons legs, thighs, scratching his face and biting his arms. Then for no reason the bear turned around and walked back into the woods. Devon made it to safety and called for help on his cell phone.

August 8th another jogger was attacked in Bicentennial park. Clivia Feliz, 51 was jogging and was attacked by a brown bear. She recieved bite marks to her head, arms and torso. She was injured pretty bad. She was jogging in the same area where the jogger I wrote about in earlier blog was attacked. This same sow bear with 2 cubs is said to be the one that attacked another young girl just before I moved up here and injured her real bad. She is still recovering in the hospital. A bike rider was said to have been attacked by this same bear. He was able to outrun it though.

Game & Wildlife Biologist heading down the trail in search of sow bear responsible for several attacks

The police have been out along with game and wildlife biologists trying to find the bear to put it down.

There was another attack on Admirty Island to a woman tourist. She is in fair condition. The bear was scared off by a man with a gun. She recieved a couple bite marks.

Yet another woman was attacked about 2 weeks ago at a resort. She works there in the summer and was going outside for some fresh air and was attacked just feet from the door of the lodge. She recieved bad bites to the head and torso. A tourist that was staying at the lodge scared the bear off and got help for the lady.

My wife Kathy went rasberry picking last weekend (August 2) in the Spenard area of Anchorage. That is where we lived when I first met and married Kathy in 1984. She was picking the rasberries behind a friends house in the alley along the back fence. While she was picking she came across a fresh pile of..... well, lets just say the bear left a present. The grass was matted down around the rasberry bushes where it was eating the berries. Needless to say she decided she didn't really want to make rasberry jam that day. She got in the car and came home with a cup of berries.

Hopefully we won't have any more attacks. But people obviously aren't listening and still use the trails, put dog food out on their decks and other things that bring the bears in.