Alaska bear attack leaves teens in serious condition
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14279658


Grizzly bears can be found throughout much of Alaska and parts of Canada Continue reading the main story
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Two US teenagers are in a serious condition after a grizzly bear attacked a group of seven students learning survival skills in the state of Alaska.

Four of the teenagers were injured after coming upon a bear walking with her cub, state troopers said.

Emergency responders found the students early on Sunday using a locating beacon and transported them by helicopter.

The students were participating in a 30-day wilderness course in the Talkeetna Mountains near Anchorage.

The teenagers had been walking without instructors in a single-file line through the mountains late on Saturday when they were mauled by the grizzly bear, with the first two students in the line suffering the brunt of the attack.

National Outdoor Leadership School spokesman Bruce Palmer said 17-year-olds Joshua Berg and Samuel Gottsegen sustained the worst injuries, caused mostly from bear bites.

"I thought I was going to die when I was being attacked. I was so scared," Mr Gottsegen told the Associated Press news agency from his hospital bed.

Hospital spokesperson Crystal Bailey at the Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage said both Mr Gottsegen, of Denver, Colorado, and Mr Berg, of New York City, were in a serious condition. Officials earlier said their injuries were life-threatening.

Lots of distrubing news regarding grizzlies lately. I know that I'm going into the Winds with a heightened sense of awareness this year.

Sightings are on the increase with the latest coming in June. A hunter's camera captured a photo of an approximately 5 year old male grizzly west of Lander http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional ... 65a24.html

In 2008, remote cameras placed on the eastern slopes of the range in a cooperative effort between the Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. and the Wind River Indian Reservation captured photos of several Grizzlies in the Kirkland Park area. http://gf.state.wy.us/downloads/pdf/Reg ... %20res.pdf

I used to consider the chances of encountering a Grizz in the Winds remote. Not so sure about that anymore.

Sad news all around. Last time I was in Yellowstone I hiked alone. And I know that the chances of a negative encounter with wildlife is extremely rare, the next time I go hiking in Griz country it will be with companions. Preferably at least three of us.

zodis wrote:Is the auditory acuity of bears the same as humans?

Apparently as good or a little better. There have been experiments on European brown bears (which are the same species as grizzlies) and for them, the hearing was a little better than human.

Anecdotally, I've found that black bears are instantly alerted by a shout from about 150 yards, even when they are completely absorbed in rooting around. I haven't done the experiment on a grizzly.

I don't use bear bells. In areas where I think I might surprise a griz, I give a shout every 10 seconds or so. Seems to work for me, in that I've never had a close encounter. But very few people are willing to make that much noise.

That's a sad story, about the man who died. I like the road flare idea, I'll have to look into that, its nice because it has more than one purpose too unlike bear spray. If you get lost or stranded, or need fire fast it could come in handy.

There are many claims that air horns (common on boats) can be used as a bear deterrent in encounters. If true, that would be better than bear spray because they would work regardless of distance or wind direction.

Here's a blogger who did some internet research on the topic:
http://hikinginthesmokys.blogspot.com/2 ... -bear.html