I was chomped on by a bear, and he was a bad bear, but that doesn't speak of all bears," Tim Scott 56, of Lexington said.Sunday a family was hiking the trails near the Red River Gorge Geological Area with dad Tim Scott taking the lead. He saw a bear 25 feet ahead and watched as the bear ducked under a ledge. The bear emerged onto the path and began approaching Scott. He hollered, dropped his belt bag, grabbed a rotted branch and hit the bear, trying to move away. The bear sniffed the bag and followed. Finally the it lunged and nipped him, then let him go as he moved behind a tree for protection. The bear grabbed him and threw him into the woods. Then the it sank its teeth into his thigh and shook.
At some point during this, Mr. Scott snapped several pictures with his cell phone.
Another group of hikers approached and one hit the bear with his back pack. The bear left the area.
Mr. Scott was taken to a hospital and 50 stitches closed his wounds. He went home to recuperate.
Today is the fourth day that the area has been closed to humans. I'm not sure who is doing the hunting but a bear was sighted yesterday. Officials are not sure it's the same bear but they are confident the bad bear has not left the area.
Wildlife Division Director Karen Waldrop said the agency's policy is to kill any bear that behaves aggressively toward humans, and officials have closed the popular scenic area and set traps to try to capture the animal.The bear is described as an Appalachian Black Bear. The Red River Gorge Geological Area is in the Daniel Boone National Forrest.
I guess the old addage is only partly true... Somedays you get the bear, and, Somedays the bear gets you.
ReplyDeleteSomedays, the bear escapes capture ?
what? and he didn't find out if a bear shits in the woods?
ReplyDeleteThis is what they call a "rogue bear" - and once aggressive towards humans, always aggressive and has to be euthanized. Still it makes me sad - we've encroached on so much of their land - what are they supposed to do?
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of when my good buddy, Keith, and I were hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail... at some point, Keith asked, "Shoes... if a bear gets after us, can you out-run it?"
ReplyDeleteMy reply to Keith was, "I don't have to outrun the bear... I just have to outrun you..."
:oD
~shoes~
Mac: There's also the adage: Some days you're the winshield and some days you're the bug.
ReplyDeleteYellowdawg grannie: Well of course bears shit in the woods. :: chuckle ::
Secret Agent Woman: Yep. I always wonder what would happen if bears and deer were given guns, how careful the hunters would be.
Red Shoes: That's funny.
Bears scare the everliving shit out of me. Why people decide to hike in areas where there is even a remote possibility a big bear will jump them is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteWinston Churchill had a story in which a vet (i.e. a veterinary surgeon) attempted to neutralise a rogue bear by blowing a tranquilliser pill down a tube inserted into the bear's mouth. Unfortunately the bear blew first.
ReplyDelete