The political effort leading to adoption last year of a new statute allowing defensive firearms to be carried in national parks got a major affirmation – albeit tragic – Wednesday morning when a bear rampaged through a campground near Yellowstone National Park, killing one person and injuring two other campers.
One can probably knock on wood that this did not happen in one of Washington's three national parks, which are currently at the height of the tourist season and they are loaded with campers who may not understand "bear country etiquette." The Seattle Times ran a story about this attack from the Associated Press.
This attack occurred at Soda Butte campground in Montana’s Gallatin National Forest, just northeast of the park. That it did not happen inside the park may be a technicality, since the last time anyone checked, bears do not read maps, operate GPS units or really care where they were when they did something. One woman reportedly suffered severe lacerations on her arms, and a second man was bitten on the leg.
Tents were smashed in the 4 a.m. attack that left a male dead at the Soda Butte campground. A female suffered severe lacerations from bites on her arms, while another male was bitten on his calf and taken to a hospital in Cody, Wyo.
The controversy over guns in parks centered on crime, while essentially ignoring the potential that an animal attack could be the prime reason for packing. Opponents of the change have distorted what it would do for months, which we discussed here. Even KING 5 News sort of fell into that morass. Earlier this year, a hiker armed with a .45-caliber pistol fatally shot a bear that attacked him and his female companion in Alaska’s Denali National Park.
This column has discussed guns in parks in the past. We have also talked about shooting wolves in self-defense, a notion that brings fury from the environmentalist community. Earlier this year, a teacher in Alaska was killed by a wolf pack, and a couple of years ago, a Canadian man was killed by wolves. We talked about those fatalities here.
In Washington, there has not been any major news about guns in Mount Rainier, Olympic or North Cascades national parks since the new law took effect in February. There are black bears in all three parks, and there might even be a stray grizzly or two in the North Cascades. As a teen hiking the east side of Mount Rainier National Park with two other guys, a bear became a pest at Summerland campground one evening, but fortunately the critter did not tangle with the campers.
The Soda Butte campground has 27 sites in the Gallatin National Forest near the northeastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It is located just off the rugged, mountainous Beartooth Highway about 125 miles southwest of Billings.
Last year, according to the Missoulian newspaper in Missoula, MT, seven grizzlies were killed in self-defense in what was described as “the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.” Bear populations are beginning to expand in some areas, and that includes the potential for a big grizzly to show up in Washington State.
If one chooses to carry a firearm in a national park, make sure that it is “enough gun” as author Robert Ruark once observed. One guy offers some tidbits on bear self-defense on a blog, and others talk about it in general terms on various internet chat forums.
The man, who was in the lead, drew a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol when they heard a noise coming from the brush. When the bear emerged from the thicket and ran toward the other hiker, he fired approximately nine rounds in its general direction. The bear stopped, turned, and walked back into the brush, where it quickly disappeared from view," said the release
Bears are not benign cartoon creatures that call each other Yogi and Boo Boo, and give Ranger Smith headaches. Bears, as the Soda Butte incident demonstrates, can be dangerous. Authorities are checking the scene to determine what happened and why.
This is not the first bear incident at this particular campground. In 2008, authorities captured a grizzly a few days after a man was bitten while sleeping in a tent at Soda Butte.
It will hardly be the last incident involving people and big animals. If one frequents national parks or remote national forest campgrounds, about the best one can hope for is to be an observer rather than a participant.
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Comments
Unfortunately the story speaks for itself. When humans put themselves in harm's way by invading a sanctuary that is reserved for wildlife they should expect violent reactions by the wildlife who have no place else to go and are having their homes invaded by two legged creatures. Aminals live ina social environment that dictates the tough survive and the weak perish. Without firearms for protection humans become part of the weak group. In general animals leave humans alone simply because they sense humans will soon leave and go home. But every once in a while one will attack becasue it knows it can and wants what we have in camp. Most campers do not understand the nature of the animals they are around and as such unintentionally force violent showdowns where the animal or the human dies depending on the human's defensive capabilities. We are invading their homes, the national parks, with greater frequnecy so expect more attacks. defend yourself yes, but also learn about the animals.
Just back from back country camping in the park. We brought both a gun and bear spray. The gun was mainly for bear encounters in a tent. Sleeping in a tent bear spray is worthless. That's where the Smith & Wesson 460 magnum comes into play as the first option.
It's great to be able to openly carry in the Park
My problem isn't with guns in the backcountry, but rather in areas like Soda Butte. If you are in the (highly rare) situation of being attacked and you do fire off a round (or 9 more) the odds are pretty good that somebody else is going to be hit. At 2AM in a mummy bag, you're not exactly going to take careful aim. Most of the fatal attacks you hear about are in the front country, where most people go to bed smelling like the trout they just ate for dinner.
I have bear spray and it's the lead kind.
Why do humans have so little courage? If you can't handle the wildlife please stay in the city. I think most of us go to a National Park to see wildlife not shoot them. Please get a clue!
When hiking in a bear area, I've got a stainless Vaquero loaded with Buffalo Bore heavy 45 LC. When camping, I have a lever action carbine.
Bears happen.
Bill [THE IDIOT] says: "Why do humans have so little courage? If you can't handle the wildlife please stay in the city. I think most of us go to a National Park to see wildlife not shoot them. Please get a clue!"
Aside from wondering if you are doing PR for the drug gangs growing drugs in our parks, I would pay good money to see your "courage" as you get eaten after going hand to hand (no fire arms) with a grizzly.
I am really beginning to believe some people should not be allowed on the internet.
Bears are predators and will injure, kill and sometimes eat you if THEY choose to. They are bigger stronger and faster than any human and the proper antidote for them is large caliber lead, causing a fatality so that they don't injure, kill or eat more people at a later time.
Anyone who sleeps in a tent without a firearm and a warning perimeter where there is abundant wildlife is a fool. This is a tragic incident but one needs to realize that Gallatin National forest is not NYC
Clad in my brand new LL bean woodland uniform and my pockets full of granola bars, I love to cavort up and down those secluded wooded trails with no thought of danger from the denizens which live in the wooded glens. One has 0nly to read the news to see that anything bad always happens to someone else and,therefore, I don't need a nasty old gun to protect me and mine.
Sorry Sam, I do think a little more explanation is needed here. I guess first of all when out in the wild where bears are the reality is that we are in the bears home and it might feel threatened just like we would if someone came into our home, thus it defends itself. It really is that simple for the bear esp. when cubs are invloved.
Thousands of people go to places where bears are (mostly in National Parks)because of that risk because they know inside themselves somewhere that bear is part of them.
So I guess I do think if you feel the need to carry a gun into a Park you probably shouldn't go or at least examine why you feel that need.
The idiot who unloaded nine rounds into the Denali Park bear (none of whom have ever killed a human) should be prosecuted. Those bears have the most peaceful genes on the planet.
If a bear bluff charges, one should stand tall, wave arms, and make loud noises to let the bear know you are human. Pepper spray is the best defense if a bear gets within five or ten yards.
Keep the guns at home for the dangers one imagines in one's head. A wounded bear in a national park would be a disaster to people. A human in the line of fire of an itchy trigger finger would be a tragedy.
If you look like prey, you will be eaten. I forget who said that.
This bear should be destroyed as soon as possible.
“The idiot who unloaded nine rounds into the Denali Park bear (none of whom have ever killed a human) should be prosecuted. Those bears have the most peaceful genes on the planet. “
You should really not make statements that are so easily disproved. A simple google search of “denali bear attack” turned up 4 different stories ON THE FIRST PAGE!
Oops, no one died, does severe life long debilitating injury count?
Oops again, almost forgot about Tim Tredwell. The infamous Bear Man of Alaska, who did “research” on bears in Denali for 10 years. Until he was attacked and eaten by one of his bear “friends”. I hear they found about 10% of him in bear scat scattered around the place where he was last seen. Does this count as “killed a human”?
I take the rest of your post to be at least as accurate and well researched as your first statement.
It is always better to be tried by 12, than carried by 6. Enjoy the outdoors, and carrying a weapon does not make you a criminal.
I have a great Idea! Send the unarmed Liberals to face the grizzer bears themselves. Then the bears would be full and leave the armed Americans alone.
44 Mag is what I carrier in bear county...and it is gun control that matters. You got to be able to hit what you are shooting at in order to be effective.
The good news here is that for the tens of millions of people who visit National Parks where there are bears there are very very few attacks, infact many less than 25 years ago and that is due to us humans understanding bears better and giving them their space. I remember one time being in Yellowstone at a Ranger talk and theRanger saying by far your greatest risk in the Park was from an auto accident.
I think most of us would agree that bears especially grizzlys make the wild more wild and thats what I want us to think about before we throw it away and yes I want to stay alive as much as the next person.
Also I can understand the fear some people have that causes them to want to carry a gun.
Bill,
I agree with everything you mention but would like to expand on your last statment: "Also I can understand the fear some people have that causes them to want to carry a gun."
While some may have fear of a bear attack, I, personally do not. I do, however, have a great respect for their power and ability to cause great damage and death. Therefore I would ammend your statement as it applies to me, to say that I would fear a bear that is actively attacking. My preparation for this rare event would be to carry something to stop this attack, much as I prepare to counter other rare events that might happen (wearing a seat belt, locking the door of the car and house, etc.). To me this would mean carrying a firearm of sufficient power to make a difference to my survival of such an event. If I don't need it, fine, it stays holstered/concealed. If I do, my preparation pays off by allowing me go home to my family. Either result is acceptable.
The third camper killed in his tent at Soda Butte campground was dragged from his tent and then eaten by multiple grizzly bears. A shared family feast is not merely an aggression display. You have become prey.
Those who advise you to stand tall, make noise and wave your arms at an aggressive bear are only using you to buy time while they run like hell in the opposite direction. Remember, they do not have to able to outrun the bear, just be able to outrun you.
Although making continual noise in order to let a bear know you're approaching is correct, in an actual encounter against a grizzly the proper behavior is to remain still and speak in a quiet, calm and reassuring voice. DO NOT make eye contact and DO NOT wave your arms or anything else the bear may see as threatening. You won't win a fight against a grizzly. If attacked you should play dead and not resist, with one exception.
The only time you should fight back against an attacking grizzly is if you're attacked in a predatory manner. Although rare, such attacks typically don't stop until you're dead because you're being seen as food rather than a threat to a sow with cubs for example.
And yes, it's can be difficult to tell the difference unless you know bear behavior well.
Uhh, "Anon"
Did you read that somewhere, or is that from experience with bears?
What seems to scream out here over and over is to do everything you can to avoid a conforntation. Once that happens one party loses sometimes both such as in Yellowstone.
The easiest way to do that is to stay out of territory where bears are but we know that is no going to happen so educate yourself about the habits of bears and esp. the bears where you might be. I once took a tracking class from a tracker from South Africa who would take people out to take photos of Rhinos, lions ect. and he always took some big guns along in case things went bad, but these animals provided so much employment for the area where he worked that the last thing anybody wanted to do was kill an animal. He said it was not uncommon for a rhino to charge from 100 feet and then pull up at 25 feet and they always tried to keep their distance so the Rhino did not feel threatened. Also he said it was mandatory that the people with the guns have target practice every day.
Standing tall and waving your arms might be good advice for an encounter with an eastern black bear. Generally by the time you get your arms up you will be waving at the departing hind end of the bear.
The Grizzly' temperment is somewat different if you will excuse the understatement. The Grizzly is the apex predator in it's ecosystem. I fears noting and sees everything moving as a potential food source, even other Grizzlies. So go ahead and wave your arms. As someone else already said, it just might give your friends time to escape.
Some of the posts on this thread remind me of the old saying: "There ain't no fixing stupid".
A Nonny Moose says: Those bears have the most peaceful genes on the planet.
Bears are omnivores. They eat everything from grass and berries to ground squirrels, mule deer, other bears, etc. It is the old rule that has existed since life began on this planet - "KILL or BE KILLED!" Also known as Eat or be eaten.
(Proud member of the other "PETA" (People eating Tasty Animals). :D
Bill,
I agree with everything you mention but would like to expand on your last statment: "Also I can understand the fear some people have that causes them to want to carry a gun."
While some may have fear of a bear attack, I, personally do not. I do, however, have a great respect for their power and ability to cause great damage and death. Therefore I would ammend your statement as it applies to me, to say that I would fear a bear that is actively attacking. My preparation for this rare event would be to carry something to stop this attack, much as I prepare to counter other rare events that might happen (wearing a seat belt, locking the door of the car and house, etc.). To me this would mean carrying a firearm of sufficient power to make a difference to my survival of such an event. If I don't need it, fine, it stays holstered/concealed. If I do, my preparation pays off by allowing me go home to my family. Either result is acceptable.
One of my big concerns here is that people with guns in Parks will take on a false sense of security and venture into places where they otherwise would not and expect to be safe because of their sidearm and it rarely works that way. Again you are much much more likely to be in an auto accident on your way to the Park than ever have an unpleasent bear encounter thus working on your driving habits and keeping your car in good order would be much more useful.
Grizzles are North America's last great preditor, respect them, protect them,. and educate your self about them
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