Who needs a gun when you can call 911

[Larry Gibson]

Got this article from a fellow member here who knows about or knows the deceased, Robert Weaver. Makes you wonder though about why no gun, especially where this happened.......

Larry Gibson

Alaska troopers: Bear killed at lake fatally mauled Fairbanks man

FAIRBANKS - Alaska State Troopers on Tuesday confirmed that the adult male black bear shot by a trooper shortly after a bear mauling at a remote lake near Delta Junction was the bear that killed a Fairbanks man last week.
Trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said remains of the victim, 64-year-old Robert Weaver, were found in the bear’s stomach during a necropsy performed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Fairbanks on Friday.

That fact, combined with information provided by Weaver’s wife, who witnessed the attack, and troopers at the scene, contributed to the positive identification, Ipsen said.
“We didn’t want to specifically say that was the bear that killed him because there could have been other bears in the area ... but that was the only bear seen leading up to the attack and after the attack,” Ipsen said.
Weaver was killed last Thursday evening as he and his wife, Roberta, were walking to their cabin on George Lake, a remote site about 35 miles southeast of Delta Junction.
“What we do know is they were boating back to their cabin, they saw the bear from the boat when they came to dock, yelled at it and it disappeared into the bushes,” Ipsen said. “They docked and were walking to the cabin when it came out of the bushes and attacked.”
Roberta Weaver ran to the cabin and called 911 on a cell phone.
Troopers were notified at about 6:45 p.m. Thursday. A trooper helicopter from Fairbanks, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Eielson Air Force Base and a trooper from Delta in an airboat responded to the scene. Weaver’s body was recovered outside the cabin at about 9 p.m..
Troopers who responded to the scene did not immediately find a bear in the area but later killed a an adult black bear that sneaked up within 10 feet of a trooper and a civilian who was assisting with the investigation.
ADFG conducted a necropsy on the dead black bear Friday afternoon in Fairbanks. The bear was an adult male that weighed approximately 230 pounds and appeared to be in relatively good condition, Fish and Game spokeswoman Cathie Harms said. Some of its teeth were worn down, indicating it was an older bear, but it had normal levels of fat and wasn’t starving, she said.
Troopers gathered most of their information about the mauling from talking to Weaver’s wife and listening to the 911 call, Ipsen said. She didn’t know if either one of the Weavers was carrying a gun and said troopers do not plan to release any more details about the incident.
Maulings by black bears in Alaska are uncommon compared to their bigger grizzly cousins, but there have been at least three people killed by black bears in Alaska, Harms said. A woman was fatally attacked in Glennallen in 1992, and Harms said there were at least two other fatal maulings by black bears, one in the 1960s and one in the 1950s.
“It’s unusual but it’s not unprecedented,” Harms said.

[Artful]

I Wonder how long they had lived in Alaska. It's true most black bears are not aggressive but all it takes is one.

[MtGun44]

Rule of thumb: If a griz is attacking, he is likely irritated that you are "in his space"
and it going to teach you a lesson in manners. Unfortunately, we are a lot more fragile
than other griz and what would be a mild butt whipping for a griz can be fatal or really
serious for us. But most probably the griz never intended to eat you. If you lay still
and "take your lickin'" you may survive - although, personally, I intend to contest
the issue vigorously with peper spray and firearms.

If you get attacked by a black bear, you are food and he means to kill and eat you.
Black bears do not have this sort of territorial behavior that griz have. If you don't
fight, you are dead. A fight with a bear without a gun is pretty futile.

Bill

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

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[John F]

I Wonder how long they had lived in Alaska. It's true most black bears are not aggressive but all it takes is one.

They drove to
Alaska where Bob worked 30 years for the city of Fairbanks, and where their six
children were born and raised

[BruceB]

We lived IN THE BUSH of the Northwest Territories for decades, meaning outside civilization, off the grid.

During the months when bears were active, I ALWAYS carried a .44 Magnum whenever outside the house. This paid off a few times.

Our bears were mostly blacks, because the grizzlies were the barren-ground variety and rarely came into the timberline where we lived.

Even so.... the year after we left the North, a healthy BLACK bear killed a young man in his sleeping bag, and partially ate him.... less than a mile from our house.

Anyone who takes a black bear "for granted" as a push-over, or harmless, is an utter fool. We simply CANNOT predict bear behavior from day to day... I learned that from experience.

[bob208]

i always said a person that goes into bear country without a gun is both a fool and bear droppings.

[John F]

A College student was stopped by an Alaskan State Trooper, for a trafic
violation, the Trooper asked if the student was carrying a Weapon.
The student replied, NO !.
The trooper advised the Student to get one as " In Alaska YOU ARE the bottom of
the food chain"

John Fetz

[waksupi]

I have always had serious doubts as to the "play dead" theory. I have always suspected the bear may catch on from all of my screaming, and the brown mass being ejected from my nether regions.

[MtGun44]

Never planned to test the play dead theory myself, but all the research and a whole lot
of actual cases shows that many do survive if they use this method with griz. Can't
be any fun and frankly we humans just "break too easy" for me to be very happy with
this concept.

Bill

[Wal']

Hope you guys realize how sad & also funny it is reading of your exploits with your local bears, when coming from a country where our biggest danger down here in Oz is getting run over by a fleet footed roo.

[waksupi]

Hope you guys realize how sad & also funny it is reading of your exploits with your local bears, when coming from a country where our biggest danger down here in Oz is getting run over by a fleet footed roo.

How about those crocs?

[runfiverun]

never mind the croc's, it's the thousand different kinds of snakes i'd be worried about.

[Artful]

They drove to Alaska where Bob worked 30 years for the city of Fairbanks, and where their six
children were born and raised Was no tenderfoot so should have known better.

Aussie 10 most Dangerous critters

1. The Box Jellyfish
One of the most extremely lethal animals in the world, and implicitly Australian, often found on the continent. Found on the coast alongside the Great Barrier Reef, the box jellyfish possesses an extremely powerful venom. The stings are terribly painful and often fatal.
Be sure to include a bottle of vinegar in your first aid kit if you’ll be traveling in areas abound with these jellyfish. Vinegar applied for 30 seconds to the sting, then removing the tentacles with a towel, will reduce the damage. But you will need to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

2. The Taipan
The taipan is a large, fast and highly venomous snake often found throughout Australia. The taipan has the most toxic venom out of all the species worldwide, has a dark brown color and is often found in sugar fields where it hunts for rats. The snake is usually found in the far north of Australia, in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, where the winter is mild. Taipan’s usually stay away from people but once cornered or threatened, they strike several times.

3. Saltwater Crocodile
The largest living member of the crocodilians and reptiles, the saltwater crocodile can grow up to 18 feet (5.45 meters) in length and is often found in Thailand, Vietnam and Northern Australia. They have been known to take on animals such an adult water buffalo and have often attacked people. It is usually well camouflaged both underwater or on dry land and strikes at an amazing speed. Its most powerful attack – the death roll – consists of grabbing its prey and rolling powerfully until it dies.

4. Blue Ring Octopus
Another serious threat for those that wish to explore the waters of Australia is the blue-ringed octopus – one of the most toxic sea creatures in the world found off the coast of Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Even though the octopus is only the size of a golf ball, there is no known antidote for its powerful venom. It causes motor paralysis, eventually leading to cardiac arrest. First aid treatment consists of pressure on the wound and mouth-to-mouth breathing that can last for several hours.

5. Stone Fish
Known as the most venomous fish in the world, the stone fish lives on the bottom of the reefs, camouflaged as a rock. It lives above the Tropic of Capricorn but can be found in the Queensland Great Barrier Reef as well. It’s venom comes from the dorsal area, that is lined with 13 spines, causing shock, paralysis and tissue death depending on the severity of the sting. First aid consists of immobilizing the venom by bandaging the affected area then applying a hot compress. The pain is said to be so excruciating that it lead to amputating the affected limb.

6. Red Back Spider
This species found all over the continent is Australia’s most famous deadly spider. The red striped spider has a neurotic venom that induces severe pain, however, deaths are rare. Thousands of people are bitten but only approximately 20% of the victims require treatment. Generally, the children and the elderly are the most exposed to the spider’s threat. This is one of the few spider species that displays sexual cannibalism while mating.

7. Brown Snake
There are several types of brown snakes but the Pseudonaja is the genus commonly found in Australia. Known as one of Australia’s most deadly creatures, the brown snake has a venom which quickly kills if it goes untreated. Even young snakes are capable of delivering a fatal bite to humans.

8. Tiger Snake
The tiger snake is another of the many venomous snakes found Australia, particularly in the southern regions. The striped snakes are not generally aggressive and retreat whenever they have the chance. The tiger snake is known as one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Although anti-venom is readily available, mortality rates are around 45% if the bite is left untreated. In most states, the species is protected and any harming or injuring lead to a fine of up to $4,000.

9. Great White Shark
This exceptionally large shark known as the white death is known as world’s largest known predatory fish. They can be found in great numbers on the southern coasts of Australia and, even though they have often been depicted as fatal to humans, they do not target them as a prey. Many of the attacks we’re not fatal, the shark only performing test-biting, out of curiosity. Humans are not a good meal, considering the shark’s slow digestion compared to the human’s muscle to fat ratio.

10. Funnel Web Spider
The darkly colored spiders resembling tarantulas have fangs and chelicerae with ample venom glands, that can even penetrate fingernails or shoes. They can be found in the eastern coast of Australia, New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland. First aid consists of applying a bandage and wrapping the bitten limb. As with other spiders, the main treatment is the anti-venom.

30 of the deadliest animals in Australia

This list was developed by the Australian Museum in Sydney. Museum staff rated animals out of 10 based on the threat they pose, combined with the likelihood of encountering one.

Danger rating: 10/10

1. Box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri)

Danger rating: 9/10

2. Honey bee (Apis mellifera)

3. Irukandji Jellyfish (Carukia barnesi)

Danger rating: 8/10

4. Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

5. Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis)

6. Saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)

7. Sydney funnel web spider (Atrax robustus)

Danger rating: 7/10

8. Blue-ringed octopus (Genus Hapalochlaena)

9. Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus)

10.Common death adder (Acanthopis antarticus)

11. Cone shells (Conus sp.)

12. Dugite or spotted brown snake (Pseudonaja affinis)

13. Mulga snake or king brown snake (Pseudechis australis)

14. Red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)

15. Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

16. Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus)

17. Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

18. Yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus)

Danger rating: 6/10

19. Bluebottle (Physalia physalis)

20. Common lionfish (Pterois volitans)

21. Collett’s snake (Pseudechis colletti)

22. Highland copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi)

23. Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)

24. Redback spider (Lactodectus hasselti)

25. Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa)

26. Smooth toadfish (Tetractenos glaber)

27. Blue-bellied black snake (Pseudechis guttatus)

Danger rating: 5/10

28. Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus)

29. Bull ant (Myrmercia pilosula)

30. Giant centipede (Ethmostigmus rubripes)

[Wal']

"Aussie 10 most Dangerous critters"

That's it.............never going out the door again. ;-)

[40-82]

This bear spray is an excellent idea that is catching on quite a bit in lieu of evil firearms. When Walt Audi, a bush pilot, who flies out of Barter Island, Alaska, was asked about bear spray by Outdoor Life a few years ago he said it was a good idea if you wouldn't carry a gun that way you could spray it into your eyes and you wouldn't have to see what happened next.

[gew98]

Reminds me of the time I was stationed at Fort drum NY and the powers that be decided to do a "tactical feeding" during an extended FTX. It was a hoot when a small young bear entered the chowline out of turn and all the puerto rican guys dishing out the food took off like jack rabbits with some mounting the camoflauged deuce like spider monkeys. I never heard so many trees and bushes laughing their ****'s off in my life. Needless to say the bear ate like a king from those mermites of slop.

[MtGun44]

I believe I'll take the occasinoal griz or black bear over all that venomous
stuff and big crocs in Oz.

Comparatively speaking, you have to have you head fairly far up you butt to
get snakebit in the US. It can happen if you are paying attention, but our
snakes are not very aggressive and if you keep your wits about you you can usually
stay clear.

Bill