Got this off the news this morning.

Bear Mauls Woman

quote:

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/lucky lady. I wish her a quick
and speedy recovery. Lawdog

My family lives in that county.

It is true, very thick woods, etc.

I wish her a speedy recovery as well.

Because of the encounters I have had with Black bears in that type of woods, I am going to stick my neck out and state that I have a sneaky suspicion that the dog had much to do with the entire episode. I say that because I have been right next to bears in the woods in the summer and they left in a quick hurry, EXCEPT for the times when I had a dog with. When I have had a dog with it seemed as though the bears felt they were backed into a corner and wanted to take it out on the dog. The other thing I wonder is whether there were cubs nearby and the bear felt threatened by the dog being too near her cubs. I have seen that happen as well, even when the cubs have been 30 feet up a White Pine Tree. Mother bear comes down the tree faster than you can blink and goes after the dog, and possibly the dog's owner.

You forgot one thing 22WRF, my dogs would think that they were pretty tough barking and carrying on until that bear decides he has had enough of fido and his shit...when that ol bear turns around to confront the dogs, my two idiots would tuck their tails and run back towards ME!! The bear would be in tow of course.

Hope the lady is feeling better.

MG

Sounds to me like a predatory attack by a blk bear. The bear most like thought he was defending his prey when he chased the dog off.

Why wasn't this woman armed when MN. is a shall issue state?


I guessing she thought all forest creatures are feindly. Any pistol from a 22rf on up would have been a lot better then her small stick.

quote:

but the bear chased the dog off and continued attacking her, authorities said.

If I owned that dog, he wouldn't be getting any scooby-snacks for a very long time.

There was another article that identified the dog as an italian mastiff !Carry a bigger stick, preferably one that operates with powder , and get a more agressive dog.

When I lived up there I was never too worried about the bears, 9 out of 10 times they run away,But I was always armed just for the odd one that did not want to move on. Those type of attacks up there are rare . The bears where I lived were still shot on sight by many people and they learned to avoid humans.

ELKMAN2 you are right at one time misbehaving bears were shot on sight. Not anymore the bears are way over protected. Any body who has the balls to shoot misbehaving bear better have is ducks in a row if he reports it.

The DNR has fallen into the bears are only nice woodland critters and it must be the peoples fault then the misbehaving bear.