From 24 Hour Campfire.
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Daily News Staff

Published: October 10, 2005
Last Modified: October 10, 2005 at 10:51 AM


A Kasilof couple were attacked by a brown bear Sunday afternoon while walking their two dogs on a trail near mile 7.5 of Skilak Lake Road, according to Alaska State Troopers.


Colleen Sinnott, 50, suffered serious injuries to her head, chest and side and was taken to Central Peninsula General Hospital. Her husband, John Poljacik, 56, suffered minor injuries to his chest and declined treatment.

The couple were walking on Upper Skilak Trail when a bear burst from alders and knocked Sinnott down, troopers said. The animal pounced on her back and yanked her into the woods.

Poljacik ran for the car to grab a canister of pepper spray, but the bear followed him. The animal fled before he was able to discharge the spray.

Troopers received a 911 call about 3:40 p.m., and Central Emergency Services took Sinnott to the hospital.

Poljacik initially remained at the scene to search for the dogs, two 7-month-old Newfoundland puppies. Only one dog had been found as of Sunday night, troopers said.

Officers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searched the area, but did not locate the bear that had attacked the couple.
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Nothing like living in denial. "Ahhhh, it can't happen to me!"

L.W.

Awww she'll be fine in the hospital, You stay behind and look for the dogs...

It's like a broken record. A banner year for bear maulings. You gotta admit - humans (w/o a gun) are pretty darn easy pickins for an adult bear.

MM

I agree with Muskegman! MY thoughts are that pepper spray is a piss poor weapon for a Brown bear. Secondly, even if it were fine, why would anyone leave it in the car, in bear country?

These Greenies are the bane of the wilderness, and are a fine examples of the effectiveness of Darwin's "survival of the fittest" with large piles of bear scatt laced with little brass bells, REI jacket zipper themomiters, and smelling of pepper spray! The sorry thing is, these folks never learn!

Skilak Lake loop road is a perfict example of the gay disney world tourism idea that Fish and Game has.You cant hunt with guns there and the tourist get to see the wonderful moose that people hit with cars like crazy there and the wonderful bears that love to be hugged.Its places like this that are in Ak full of bears just waiting to waiting for wonderful people to maul.I went to Mendenhall Glacier just last Friday and had a wonderful time with a sow and cub.The bear with probally maul someone soon.The cub very small rolled at our feet.Here came momma griz around the corner in a very narrow path towards us.The cub cried and I told my girlfriend to run away from the cub.If she had not seen the momma when I did my girlfriend would be history.You cant have a gun there.I have been in Ak 7 years and always have a bear gun around.These gay disney world parks are a good place to feed animal rights fruitloops to the bears.They should all hug the baby moose and baby bears ,the momma bears and momma moose love that like they do in the movies.

don't nail me on this as it's been a few years since I was there but isn't hunting allowed only on one side of that road for something like 17 miles in hopes of "protecting" moose?
I lived in Cooper Landing area also the Soldotna / Kenai area and Girwood for several years before I relocated to Cordova. The highway wasn't like it is now back in the late 60s an it wasn't all that uncommon to see brown bear tracks along the Kenai right in town when the salmon were running. Residents of the area knew how to deal with them an when one made a pest of itself it simply disappeared. That was before the Kenai Penn. turned into the tourist trap of a fishing community it is today.

The Skilak Loop road is not managed by the state, the feds over-ride state regs.....as of a week ago, the state regs allowed the taking of small game w/firearms.....the fed's regs take precedent and small game is only to be taken w/a bow. Moose hunting is allowed in part of the area on a draw, I believe.

Cats, you're right about the restrictions but I believe it has more to do w/sheep & goats.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Leanwolff:
Poljacik initially remained at the scene to search for the dogs, two 7-month-old Newfoundland puppies. Only one dog had been found as of Sunday night, troopers said.

Well, they found the second dog after two weeks.

SweetPea, what a cute name. Wish the bear had eaten it.

Puppy Found 2 Weeks After Bear Attack

MM

quote:

Originally posted by MuskegMan:

quote:

Originally posted by Leanwolff:
Poljacik initially remained at the scene to search for the dogs, two 7-month-old Newfoundland puppies. Only one dog had been found as of Sunday night, troopers said.

Well, they found the second dog after two weeks.

SweetPea, what a cute name. Wish the bear had eaten it.

Puppy Found 2 Weeks After Bear Attack

MM

What do you have against Newfs? I spent 3 years in the Army, 6 in the USMC, am a disabled vet, a Patron Member of the NRA as well as a Life Member of GOA, etc., etc. I've even been characterized as "slightly right of Atila The Hun", but I happen to own a Newfoundland!! You wouldn't be calling me a "Bliss Ninny" just because I own a Newfie would you? .......

quote:

Originally posted by Leanwolff:
Poljacik ran for the car to grab a canister of pepper spray,

My ass he was running for the pepper spray! Something tells me that's the line he's gonna be tellin' his wife every single time she mentions this incident for the next 20+ years.

Best,

John