Drew my gun for the first time tonight... on a bear!

[NShortino]

I've been conceal carrying for around 6 months and for the first time tonight I unholstered my gun, though it was for a reason I never really considered. While pulling in my driveway around midnight I noticed a large black shape run away from my trashcan and around the back of my garage. Judging by the knocked over trash can and the size of the animal I figured it was a black bear, though I couldn't see where it went from there.

My garage isn't attached to my house, so I have to walk outside again and go up some stairs to my back porch. When I opened the rear garage door it was pitch black and I could here the leaves rustling not far away. I drew my gun (a seven round Walther PPS) and waited a minute before inching out to activate a motion spotlight. By then the bear had wandered far enough away for me to get into the house safely, but was still a little freaked out.

I realize I probably could have waited longer for it to leave, but at the same time I wanted to try and get a glimpse of the beast. Maybe drawing the gun was a little unnecessary as well, but I'd rather have it out in case it wanted me as a midnight snack.

As a side note, I'm also now wondering what effect a 7 shot 9mm would have against a full grown black bear. Perhaps its time I start carrying something larger?!

[fingers80002]

Come on people.......

Pa only has Black Bears........

You are not going up against Grizzlies or Alaskan Browns........

Learn about your local wildlife,

[buster2209]

Yeah, how fukin dumb are you?? You don't know the difference between beres? Did I spell that right.....?

EDIT: I was being sarcastic, I don't know the difference between bears either!!

[MostlyHarmless]

Maybe drawing the gun was a little unnecessary as well, but I'd rather have it out in case it wanted me as a midnight snack

I carry that very same gun. While I consider it a decent self defense gun with outstanding concealment capability, I would NEVER expect it to stop a bear. NEVER!

All you are going to do with it is to piss off the bear!!!

That was a bad move. I am glad the bear was smart enough to leave before it came to that, but it was still a bad move on your part.

On the other hand, I know what it is like to walk in on a bear unprepared. I was hiking with my wife and son one afternoon in the Delaware Water Gap when I spotted a black bear cub. "Damn, why did I forget my camera" was my first thought. "DAMN, WHERE IS YO MAMA?" was the next thought! Fortunately she was on the other side and junior started running her way. I don't even want to know how useless my 9mm sidearm would have been if we had been in between her and her cub.


Jan

[Swarner793]

Come on people.......

Pa only has Black Bears........

You are not going up against Grizzlies or Alaskan Browns........

Learn about your local wildlife,

I am certain that I know more than most about wildlife. Many of us actually live amongst the wildlife, not just visit it. They got eight (8) bear between my Farm and the adjoining one last year. You say we are invading their territory, I say we removed the natural predators and their numbers are unnatural, that is what is leading to them being as bold as they are.

This article is about the next door neighbor of one of my employees. It broke my employee's sliding door the week before it attacked this lady. Please note, it was a black bear.

Be safe (and don't feed the bears, not even your dog).

Scott

http://www.sungazette.com/page/conte...id/510253.html
Bear mauling victim treated and released
By ERIC LONG - elong@sungazette.com POSTED: May 14, 2008 Save | Print | Email
Email: "Bear mauling victim treated and released"
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Article Photos

A woman who was mauled by a black bear Monday night was treated at an area hospital and released, according to state Game Commission officials, who are investigating the encounter.

A 44-year-old woman and her dog were attacked when they encountered a black bear in the 200 block of Dunwoody Road, Plunketts Creek Township, said rescue personnel who were called to the scene.

Attacks by black bears on humans are rare, according to commission officials at the agency’s Northcentral Region office in Antes Fort.

According to Wildlife Conservation Officer Jon Wyant, the woman went outside her home near Barbours to take her bird feeders down and let her dog out between 9 and 9:30 p.m.

“Right outside the patio door, the dog went after the bear and the woman went after the dog,” Wyant said. “The bear swatted the dog and the dog had to be euthanized. The woman went to go back toward her house and the bear caught her. She had bites on her leg, damage to her hand, and the bear may have swatted her on her head.”

Wyant said the woman’s family asked that her name not be released. He said she was treated at Williamsport Hospital, released and is recovering at home.

“There has been a mother bear with two cubs sighted in that area, so that is what I suspect,” Wyant said. “It is a pretty typical scenario, of a mother bear in defense of her cubs.”

A female black bear with cubs will attack anything she perceives to be a threat to her cubs until she feels the threat is past, he said. If that is the case, the bear was not acting as a predator toward the woman.

“We set a bear trap at the residence this morning,” Wyant said. “But even if we catch a bear, we won’t be able to say for certain that it is the bear that attacked the woman.”

Northcentral Region Director Dennis Dusza said the agency is continuing to investigate the incident.

Fewer than 15 people have been injured by bears in Pennsylvania in the past 10 years, according to Mark Ternent, bear biologist for the Game Commission.

Such encounters almost always involve female bears, Wyant said, adding that encounters that result in injury are uncommon.

“When you consider how many people have encounters with them, it is rare,” he said. “There are tens of thousands of human interactions with bears, and we end up with maybe one or two that result in injury each year.”

He said the best advice when encountering a bear is to treat it like a stray dog. On the Game Commission’s Web site, advice given includes to avoid feeding wildlife, taking down bird feeders in the spring and bringing them in at night during the summer months, and keeping garbage and pet foods secure.

It also recommends keeping a distance between yourself and a bear if one shows up in your yard, to shout at it like you would an unwanted dog.

Other tips include cleaning outside gas grills and properly disposing of the grease.

In an encounter, the Game Commission recommends leaving the area calmly if the bear hasn’t seen you. In a close encounter, back away slowly while facing the bear, while avoiding direct contact.

[Kendrickson]

I love the friendly responses to a new member asking a simple question.

[schmol]

yeah, didn't you realize he was just looking for his lost picnic basket??

[Nate]

I love the friendly responses to a new member asking a simple question.

yeah what the heck is up with that???

[smithwessn]

I've been conceal carrying for around 6 months and for the first time tonight I unholstered my gun, though it was for a reason I never really considered. While pulling in my driveway around midnight I noticed a large black shape run away from my trashcan and around the back of my garage. Judging by the knocked over trash can and the size of the animal I figured it was a black bear, though I couldn't see where it went from there.

My garage isn't attached to my house, so I have to walk outside again and go up some stairs to my back porch. When I opened the rear garage door it was pitch black and I could here the leaves rustling not far away. I drew my gun (a seven round Walther PPS) and waited a minute before inching out to activate a motion spotlight. By then the bear had wandered far enough away for me to get into the house safely, but was still a little freaked out.

I realize I probably could have waited longer for it to leave, but at the same time I wanted to try and get a glimpse of the beast. Maybe drawing the gun was a little unnecessary as well, but I'd rather have it out in case it wanted me as a midnight snack.

As a side note, I'm also now wondering what effect a 7 shot 9mm would have against a full grown black bear. Perhaps its time I start carrying something larger?!

Nah, I don't think drawing was unnecessary. If it charged you for some reason, you may not have time to draw. As far as 9mm vs bear, 9mm going to do some damage. We're talking about a black bear, not a grizzly. It may not drop a charging bear instantly, but it could still save your live with decent shot placement. Just hope you never need to find out first hand.

[normanvin]

Nah, I don't think drawing was unnecessary. If it charged you for some reason, you may not have time to draw. As far as 9mm vs bear, 9mm going to do some damage. We're talking about a black bear, not a grizzly. It may not drop a charging bear instantly, but it could still save your live with decent shot placement. Just hope you never need to find out first hand.

True. But pursuing the bear would put the op at risk. Going inside and looking out a window would have given him a look at the bear in a more safe area.