Post by Sammy on Apr 11, 2012 6:46:42 GMT -8
I had heard this story on the local news. I have lived in the northwest for my whole life and heard many stories of bear interaction with humans. They can make you feal the greatest in the universe, or quite literaly the most pain and terror possible.
Brown and black bears will have a better temprement then other larger bears. Although I have heard of people in Alaska finding kodiaks in thier hot tubs. The man in this video is in question of his truthfullness of the story, because he didnt report the attack to anyone. Growing up in southern Oregon and in a small country town, I know he isnt lying. It's common practice to not involve the authorities, and those old timers would rather die then go to a hospital. Not to say they are inexperienced in first aid, because they are usualy quite masterfull and crafty at it.
He had been panning in the region for the past 50 years, which entails going up and down a large area of forest. It had also gotten out that he was playing patty cake with a baby bear a year earlier. It's impossible that bear didnt know who he was or have some kind of interaction with him. He is also not the only human to build such relationships with bears. Granted most didnt end quite so happily.... It does show though, that bears have a soft spot for us squishies. It's usualy old hungry bears at the begginings of winter who get nasty and will hunt humans, and mothers that think thier cub is in danger.
There is a kind of honor system in the woods, some call it alpha/submit. But it's mostly establishing who gets the final word. Dont believe me? Go question a whiley old timer's honor. You'l wish you would have found a bear. Its hard to explain but you can tell when someone knows how to interact with wildlife, because they get it and also partialy live it. Afterall we are under the carnivore species. Even when chosen not to be, we can still survive off meat.
At any rate I believe the old timer, and am glad he got to survive and share his story.