Bear Mauls Minnesota Woman

[Lawdog]

Got this off the news this morning.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/07/31/bear.attack.ap/index.html

Bear mauls Minnesota Woman

Sunday, July 31, 2005; Posted: 9:11 a.m. EDT (13:11 GMT)

CARLTON, Minnesota (AP) -- A woman was severely injured when she was attacked by a black bear while walking in woods in northeast Minnesota, officials said.

Mary Lou Munn, 50, managed to call authorities after the attack but was found lying in her front yard with several severe cuts to her leg, back, stomach and shoulders, authorities said.

She was reported in good condition Saturday after surgery at St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth.

Munn told sheriff's deputies she was walking in the woods by a nearby beaver pond when the attack occurred.

She said she fought the bear with a small stick and her fists and her dog tried to help, but the bear chased the dog off and continued attacking her, authorities said.

After the bear left her alone, she walked a quarter mile back to her home and called police, sheriff's officials said

One gutsy lady.  I wish her a quick and speedy recovery.  Lawdog
 

[Graybeard]

That story could easily have been about a little old lady in PA named Valjean also. She lives well out in the country and bears are showing up there more and more. Just a couple years ago I was told of a young bear raiding her bird feeders and she went out and ran it off with her broom.

Just recently, as in past couple of weeks, a momma bear and cubs came visiting. She went out to run them off and the momma bear didn't wanna go so after an aggressive growl or three Valjean went back inside.

My friend Barry who lives nearby was out in the field making hay. His wife happened by and noticed the bears. She rushed for Barry and they headed over. When they got there the bears were up in a tree in her yard and stayed for some while. All went inside and after awhile the momma got all the cubs settled down and they climbed down and wandered away.

She's a gutsy lady too but I sure have questioned her tactics in dealing with bears a time or two and have a concern one day one is gonna be faster than her and such will happen.

[YoungInMN]

I heared this story first from my friend. We both have land a few miles away from Holyoak where the lady was attacked. She gets a round of aplause from me.

[oso45-70]

Lawdog, Graybeard,
 We had a woman eaten in North east New Mexico a while back, In this case i think the Bear was starving for the lack of natural feed due to the weather conditions, Needless to say, Bears Don't make good neighbors.
Often times they break to lead real quick........Joe.........

[Lawdog]

Further checking has revealed that if the Black Bear was a female she didn’t have any cubs.  Best guess is that the bear was a young male(Boar) and the attack was predatory in nature.  Takes plenty of intestinal fortitude to stand and fight an attacking bear.  Know a lot of women that would have tried to run or just lay down.  One thing though is I believe she needs something better than a small stick and maybe a bigger, meaner dog.  Something like a Rhodesian Ridgeback with a hugh mix of T-Rex thrown in.  Lawdog
 

[oso45-70]

Lawdog

This lady in New Mexico was very old and i npoor shape, It seems to me she was some thing like 79 but can't remembe for sure, In Albuquerque, NM the bears are coming off the Sandia Mountian on a regular basis. Its nothing to hear obout bears in town. We keep moving out in the country and the bears are running out of space to hunt, Sad fact of life.........Joe........

[Lawdog]

oso45-70,

We keep moving out in the country and the bears are running out of space to hunt, Sad fact of life.

Sad but so very true.  Then take into account that Black Bear hunting isn't as popular as it once was and the population of Black Bears is getting out of hand in many areas.  California for one.  Our Black Bear population is second only to Alaska now.

Population census as of 2001.

Alaska - 100,000 plus
California - 35,000 plus
New Mexico - 3,000 plus

The yearly Black Bear take in California doesn't even come close to keeping up with population growth.  California has got to do something.  Issue more tags to the hunters that do want to hunt bears.  Start letting those that want to use bait stations for hunting.  Bears are being hit by vehicles on the highways, taking swims in peoples swimming pools in city residential areas, etc.  How are things in New Mexico and other areas?  Lawdog
 

[oso45-70]

Lawdog

We don't have the population in New Mexico that you do in Kalifornia, Both People and bears. The biggest problem here is we have been in a drought situation for the last few years and the bear has wandered into towns looking for food and get into trouble. Back when i ran dogs here it was better than now as far as bear food goes. On interstate I 40 in the Tijeras Canyon: east of Albuquerque, N. M. there has been a few bears run over crossing the highway. There is absolutly no feed for them so they must rob the dumpsters and back yaeds to get by. Here where i live now the bears are coming to town hoping to find apple trees or anything to eat. The only reason there is anything here is the irrigation project. You hit on some of the trouble, The nm dept. of fish & game hold our feet to the fire as far as the hunting permits go. If a bear breaks into your house and you shoot it you are in deep POOP. I'm not sure what the answer is but some thing needs to done about the Bear situation.......Joe.......

[Lawdog]

oso45-70,

Released by the New Mexiko Department of Game and Fish on July 21, 2005 that 2 Black Bears figured out one way of finding food.  In Ranton they are checking into motels.  You guys need to teach more of your bears how to order room service.   :-D   Lawdog
 

[oso45-70]

Lawdig

We had a bear invasion in the north side of town last night. He tore up some chichen houses and got the people all stired. Lawdog I sent you a PM in regards to the mountian Lions here, Its getting pretty bad. Of course we don't want to do any thing about them. Gotta go get ready for a gun show down south.......Joe........

[Bldr Bob]

That bear attack was less that 10 miles from where I bear hunt.  That kind of freaks me out.  I guess I will be holstering the 44 mag while I am baiting next week, don't want a run in like that at my bait station.  At least my hunting this year will have an added sense of purpose :-)

[Lawdog]

That bear attack was less that 10 miles from where I bear hunt.  That kind of freaks me out.  I guess I will be holstering the 44 mag while I am baiting next week, don't want a run in like that at my bait station.  At least my hunting this year will have an added sense of purpose :-)

Why not ask our resident PH, JJ Hack, on his experiences with Black Bears, bait stations and holstered .44 magnums?  Lawdog
 

[Bldr Bob]

Why is that?  Is there a story in there that I should know about?

[Lawdog]

Why is that?  Is there a story in there that I should know about?

Sure is.  Lawdog
 

[loaded4bear]

We have hungry bears in N.J. too...and they basically have no fear of man because of a lack of hunting pressure (1 bear season in the last 33 years)
 
 
 

New Jersey Bear Attack Proves Need for Hunt- (08/04)Click for Printer Friendly Option
New Jersey
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A black bear attack in New Jersey illustrates the importance of a hunt to control the state’s escalating bear population and ensure citizens’ safety.
 
 
 
In the early morning of July 13, a black bear sunk its teeth into a sleeping camper and tried to drag him away from a shelter at High Point State Park in northern New Jersey.  Wildlife officials investigating the incident report that they trapped and dispatched a 152-pound female bear that was identified as the culprit.
 
 
 
“Bear-human conflicts like this demonstrate the need for New Jersey to control its bear population by hunting,” said Tony Celebrezze, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services. “A hunt will decrease the number of bears in the nation’s most populated state, teaches bears a healthy respect for people and provides a great opportunity for sportsmen.”
 
 
 
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is now considering a bear hunt, which was proposed as part of the Fish and Game Council’s 2005-2006 Game Code.
 
 
 
In 2003, the state held its first bear hunt in over 30 years.  It reduced the population and resulted in a decrease in bear-human incidents.  Last year’s hunt was cancelled by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell and the number of bear-human encounters again increased.
 
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[Lawdog]

loaded4bear,

and they basically have no fear of man because of a lack of hunting pressure

BINGO.  And that is the problem in most parts of the country.  Bear populations are climbing and the game commissions are not doing anything to increase the number of hunters by either lowering the price of bear tags, increasing the number of bears that can be taken or change the laws on the methods of taking bears(like baiting that is outlawed here in California).  Any other ideas on how to increase the hunting pressure?  Lawdog
 

[bulldurham]

yep lack of hunting pressure........ i agree 100% i hope that lady has a speedy recovery.


oso what do you think is gonna happen with these wolves there turnin loose in nm and az they are raised and fed by humans and have no fear of humans and even worse have come to identify humans with food. you woulda thought they would have learned from yellowstone in the 50's what happens. incidentally oso i spent some time up around your country about 12 yrs ago i worked on a ranch in santa rosa man there used to be some nice deer around there and lots of antelope