I'm sure more will come out in the next few days, but according to this report a man was bitten by a bear today on McDougal Lake, right outside of Isabella.

Sorry, looks like the link doesn't work and I gotta go, maybe someone can find the article and post it.

Link to the Duluth News: Bear

I was wondering when this would show up.

I doubt anyone woke this bear up. I am sure it is a winter bear. Rare they don't go into hibernation and become very aggressive. A bear just out of hibernation is 3/4 asleep. It is also rare for a bear to attack a dog, they turn and run in most cases. That dog looked like food to that bear. Maybe "winter bears are sick" in some way I don't know. I have heard old timers talk about winter bears and the dangers! Just my thoughts. Glad everyone is going to be OK. Lots going on in Isabella these days!

Very weird,I know bear were still out in Brainerd area as of November 30th. Than they stopped with colder weather.
Disturbed by wolves,loggers,hibernating under someones house or sick?
Or maybe just with the little warmer weather it came out. You could learn a lot by back tracking it and see where it came from.

Well at least I can be confident that there won't be any bugs when we go on our winter trip in less than a week. Will be curious to hear what they believe the reason is.

My bet is probably sick in some fashion.
Even if it was disturbed from hibernation the aggressiveness is a tell.

jcavenagh: "My bet is probably sick in some fashion.
Even if it was disturbed from hibernation the aggressiveness is a tell."

Wonder if this is the First Black Bear attack in late December that far north ever?

Pinetree:
Wonder if this is the First Black Bear attack in late December that far north ever?"

I did a search and can't find info on your question, I'll keep trying.
I did find a couple of brown Bear/Griz human fatalities in the middle of the winter in Alaska.
Those were about 1% of the fatalities in North America, so this has to be a very rare occurrence in MN by a Black Bear, much less at this time of the year.
I am not a Biologist, so I will not speculate as to the why, but the news report said that the bears behavior was out of the ordinary.

Tough men in Isabella, attacking bears!

LindenTree3: "

Pinetree:
Wonder if this is the First Black Bear attack in late December that far north ever?"

I did a search and can't find info on your question, I'll keep trying.
I did find a couple of brown Bear/Griz human fatalities in the middle of the winter in Alaska.
Those were about 1% of the fatalities in North America, so this has to be a very rare occurrence in MN by a Black Bear, much less at this time of the year.
I am not a Biologist, so I will not speculate as to the why, but the news report said that the bears behavior was out of the ordinary.
"

It will be very interesting what they come up with.

Let the bears pay the bear tax.

They estimated the sow bear to be only 150 lbs? That isn't very big. Maybe she was really hungry? Hard to say.

This is a bizarre one. I did black bear research in another life, and have crawled into many bear dens with a hypodermic needle on the end of stick (radio collars needed to be changed annually). Most bears are pretty sleepy, some will wake up enough to take a feeble swat at the stick, but a few can't even be approached and will bolt before you even get close. So there's a wide range of behavior when it comes to hibernating. But to attack two people? That's just strange. Makes you wonder if bears can become mentally ill.

I wouldn't call a 150 pound female exactly small. It can take them a few years to top a 100 pounds. Real easy to misjudge size of bears. I weighed one in it's den once that was 450 pounds, but most are like 70-100.

Actually three men were attacked, the 68 year old first, then two carpenters working in a garage nearby shortly afterward.
One of them suffered bites to his forearm and is currently under medical treatment for the injury. Reports say they temporarily stunned the bear by striking it on the head with a level.
The bear chased them to their truck when they were leaving.
PS-One Match said the bear was ONLY 150 pounds (reported to have been 200 by COs) but try wrestling a 20 pound house cat that's in a bad mood and the outcome isn't going to be pretty!! :)

Bear attacks get way too much press. About 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year. 800,000 require medical treatment. This woman was not only bitten by her dogs, but eaten too.

The undue attention reminds me of what an editor told his court reporter, which was to not report on all the times family members molested family members because it happens everyday and no one wants to hear that, but if a stranger sexually assaults someone, the news is all over that.

Interesting. Also interesting to hear the outcome of what was up with the bear. That hardly seems normal.

The Great Outdoors: "Reports say they temporarily stunned the bear by striking it on the head with a level."

They convinced the excitable bear to be more...level-headed.

Sorry. Bad puns, that's the way eye roll.

Unas10: "

The Great Outdoors: "Reports say they temporarily stunned the bear by striking it on the head with a level."

They convinced the excitable bear to be more...level-headed.


Sorry. Bad puns, that's the way eye roll."

:)

Update

Thanks, Pinetree! That is one, brave doggy daddy.

It says he's getting rabies shots and when I first read the story the thought went through my mind that it sounded like behavior of a rabid coon, which we occasionally get around here, but never heard of with a bear . . .

boonie: "It says he's getting rabies shots and when I first read the story the thought went through my mind that it sounded like behavior of a rabid coon, which we occasionally get around here, but never heard of with a bear . . . "

Most people I’ve heard talking about this are speculating it had a case of "da phobia".

Update:
I don't know how to attach a link. The article suggests this was not a wild bear.

http://www.outdoornews.com/2018/01/01/recent-minnesota-bear-attacks-meets-eye/

The Great Outdoors: "Actually three men were attacked, the 68 year old first, then two carpenters working in a garage nearby shortly afterward.
One of them suffered bites to his forearm and is currently under medical treatment for the injury. Reports say they temporarily stunned the bear by striking it on the head with a level.
The bear chased them to their truck when they were leaving.
PS-One Match said the bear was ONLY 150 pounds (reported to have been 200 by COs) but try wrestling a 20 pound house cat that's in a bad mood and the outcome isn't going to be pretty!! :)"

Most people I see make the mistake of wrestling the bear, trying to take it down to the ground. That is, in my opinion, a mistake. I find that having a lot of lateral movement, sticking with a solid jab (think Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard), gives you a better chance if you then follow with few good Joe Frazierlike hooks. Getting close in & throwing uppercuts will get you in a lot of trouble. A bear can really take a body shot. So go more for the head and keep moving in an unpredictable fashion. If the bear gets down low, step hard on a front paw, move sideways as quickly as possible, and hook to the head. In this situation, if you have a good kick it will also really help. Then, it's the "stun & run" tactic that should be employed. Good luck, hope nobody needs this advice!

GraniteCliffs: "Update:
I don't know how to attach a link. The article suggests this was not a wild bear.


http://www.outdoornews.com/2018/01/01/recent-minnesota-bear-attacks-meets-eye/"

link

GraniteCliffs: "Update:
I don't know how to attach a link. The article suggests this was not a wild bear.


http://www.outdoornews.com/2018/01/01/recent-minnesota-bear-attacks-meets-eye/"

No test results yet, but if this thing ends up being an escaped "pet", surely they can figure out where it came from.

HowardSprague:
Most people I see make the mistake of wrestling the bear, trying to take it down to the ground. That is, in my opinion, a mistake. I find that having a lot of lateral movement, sticking with a solid jab (think Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard), gives you a better chance if you then follow with few good Joe Frazierlike hooks. Getting close in & throwing uppercuts will get you in a lot of trouble. A bear can really take a body shot. So go more for the head and keep moving in an unpredictable fashion. If the bear gets down low, step hard on a front paw, move sideways as quickly as possible, and hook to the head. In this situation, if you have a good kick it will also really help. Then, it's the "stun & run" tactic that should be employed. Good luck, hope nobody needs this advice!
"

That is almost exactely what I did when I lived in Alaska, but I always tried a kick to the groin, I know thats dirty fighting, but hey, they are 5 times my size and way stronger.

A video of me fighting a bear last summer on the Kenai Peninsula of Ak

oh good. . .it has been a long time for a bear/gun thread

LindenTree3: "

HowardSprague:
Most people I see make the mistake of wrestling the bear, trying to take it down to the ground. That is, in my opinion, a mistake. I find that having a lot of lateral movement, sticking with a solid jab (think Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard), gives you a better chance if you then follow with few good Joe Frazierlike hooks. Getting close in & throwing uppercuts will get you in a lot of trouble. A bear can really take a body shot. So go more for the head and keep moving in an unpredictable fashion. If the bear gets down low, step hard on a front paw, move sideways as quickly as possible, and hook to the head. In this situation, if you have a good kick it will also really help. Then, it's the "stun & run" tactic that should be employed. Good luck, hope nobody needs this advice!
"

That is almost exactely what I did when I lived in Alaska, but I always tried a kick to the groin, I know thats dirty fighting, but hey, they are 5 times my size and way stronger.


A video of me fighting a bear last summer on the Kenai Peninsula of Ak "

Old one,but maybe my favorite.

That makes me laugh every time, LT3!

It is not all that uncommon for a bear to move den sites all depends on the winter ect.

With a warm winter I seen tracks out and about.

This sounds like a typical predatory black bear attack

Unusual in that it took place during normal denning time.

I think it is neat that some like to go hand to hand with bears personally I find high quality firearms to be a much better choice.

The bear was shaved or had a bare ring around its neck where a collar would of been. Also the bear acted tame when CO's and others approached it and shot it. Yes many bears were out late this year around the state. Why? The bear attacked or may have attacked the dog? Who attacked who at first? It did attack the contractors and seemed not afraid. Something wasn't normal to begin with. I speculate maybe residents fed this bear all summer long around the cabins? Nobody really knows. I do know bears are getting more habituated to houses and people looking for food and also loss of habitat.

DNR collar, Lynn Rogers? A pet? I don't know. I don't hang out in Isabella as much as I use to. But a lot of crazy stuff happens around there and Finland. I guess people just having fun.

ellahallely: "DNR collar, Lynn Rogers. A pet I don't know. I don't hang out in Isabella as much as I use to. But a lot of crazy stuff happens around there and Finland. I guess people just having fun."

\

How did you find out it was a DNR collar? Or that Lynn Rogers had something to do with it? Or is it just speculation on your part?

No I am not saying anything. I just asking what kind of collar. Radio or a pet collar? I should have used a question mark.

Fixed it!

riverrunner: "It is not all that uncommon for a bear to move den sites all depends on the winter ect.


With a warm winter I seen tracks out and about.


This sounds like a typical predatory black bear attack


Unusual in that it took place during normal denning time.


I think it is neat that some like to go hand to hand with bears personally I find high quality firearms to be a much better choice."

As LT3 showed with video proof, hand to hand can be highly effective and bears are easily distracted by eagles, opening them to a quick kick to the crotch.

ellahallely: "No I am not saying anything. I just asking what kind of collar. Radio or a pet collar? I should have used a question mark.

Fixed it!"

No collar,it just looked like a collar was in place at what time. Like ellahalley said and I was wondering whose could of been? I think the DNR would know if it was there bear without a collar now.

LindenTree3: "

HowardSprague:
Most people I see make the mistake of wrestling the bear, trying to take it down to the ground. That is, in my opinion, a mistake. I find that having a lot of lateral movement, sticking with a solid jab (think Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard), gives you a better chance if you then follow with few good Joe Frazierlike hooks. Getting close in & throwing uppercuts will get you in a lot of trouble. A bear can really take a body shot. So go more for the head and keep moving in an unpredictable fashion. If the bear gets down low, step hard on a front paw, move sideways as quickly as possible, and hook to the head. In this situation, if you have a good kick it will also really help. Then, it's the "stun & run" tactic that should be employed. Good luck, hope nobody needs this advice!
"

That is almost exactely what I did when I lived in Alaska, but I always tried a kick to the groin, I know thats dirty fighting, but hey, they are 5 times my size and way stronger.


A video of me fighting a bear last summer on the Kenai Peninsula of Ak "

A Black Belt even sometimes is not good enough.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.
True story: My friend and Black Belt individual who has his own club and classes and teaches a form of karate.
Well last year he was walking his two very very small dogs on the edge of Brainerd on a tarred bike trail. Just after dark and his dogs barked and he shined his flash light and like 10 yards away was a sow blackbear. He said within milliseconds that black bear charged-swatted him in the ribs and cracked hos ribs and he went flying thru the air. The bear turned around and wandered off getting a couple of cubs down from trees close by. He had hip and rib problems for a year. He said he had no time for karate chops which he is kidded about alot.
Yes the little mutt dogs ran the other way.
He also said he probably would havenot been able to react no matter what he had for defense. Maybe he said a spray(probably even that unless it was already hand held),but no time if he had a firearm in holster.

Also these bear were habituated by home owners along the route whom the bear were getting sunflower seeds and other treats people kept putting out even tho they new the bears were attracted to it. The bears were around the area for quite awhile.

Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area.

LindenTree3: "Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area."

Its tough to rationalize bear behavior when we can't even rationalize human behavior.

Pinetree: "

LindenTree3: "Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area."

Its tough to rationalize bear behavior when we can't even rationalize human behavior."

At least one might be able to reason with a human attacker.

riverrunner: "

Pinetree: "

LindenTree3: "Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area."

Its tough to rationalize bear behavior when we can't even rationalize human behavior."

At least one might be able to reason with a human attacker."

Seriously??? An animal is predictable and reasonable, their behavior is based on the simple predicate of eat, kill or be killed...
A human attackers behavior could be based on the news, what he had for breakfast, the color purple, noise, drugs, Afanasy Nikitin the Russian explorers death in1472, waffles, tea, mosquitos, or bovine flatulence, reasoning with a human attacker would be much akin to arguing with the rain while wearing a bikini and sunglasses.

I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Kenai this fall, I brought with me a holstered 10mm pistol, I realized next time I don't really need more than a 22 as I will be aiming point blank and my skull is not that thick.

João

riverrunner: "

Pinetree: "

LindenTree3: "Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area."

Its tough to rationalize bear behavior when we can't even rationalize human behavior."

At least one might be able to reason with a human attacker."

nooneuno: "

riverrunner: "

Pinetree: "

LindenTree3: "Having lived in Isabella for 3 years, If someone was feeding a bear in that area or had one as a pet I'm sure all would know. Everyone knew what othes were doing in that area."


Its tough to rationalize bear behavior when we can't even rationalize human behavior."

At least one might be able to reason with a human attacker."

Seriously??? An animal is predictable and reasonable, their behavior is based on the simple predicate of eat, kill or be killed...
A human attackers behavior could be based on the news, what he had for breakfast, the color purple, noise, drugs, Afanasy Nikitin the Russian explorers death in1472, waffles, tea, mosquitos, or bovine flatulence, reasoning with a human attacker would be much akin to arguing with the rain while wearing a bikini and sunglasses.


I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Kenai this fall, I brought with me a holstered 10mm pistol, I realized next time I don't really need more than a 22 as I will be aiming point blank and my skull is not that thick.


João "

A witty truthteller! Bwca.com scores!

Seeing if I can get this cleared up?

LindenTree3: "

Seeing if I can get this cleared up?"

I wish ya could! It is annoying.