Bear Attack Near Juneau

[whichwatch]

JUNEAU Alaska (Reuters) - A 57-year-old Alaskan hiker survived after being mauled by a brown bear on a wilderness trail, walking more than a mile to her truck and driving to hospital after the attack, state police reported on Wednesday.

Thea Thomas was hiking on Tuesday along the Heney Ridge Trail in Cordova, a remote and sparsely populated coastal fishing community southeast of Anchorage, near a stream in which salmon were spawning when two dogs she had with her ran ahead.

The dogs soon sprinted back to her chased by a bear, which she estimated to be between 6 to 7 feet, reared on its hind legs. She told the Alaska Dispatch News she was bitten about seven times, the worst to her back and inner thigh.

"I started to hear this growling," Thomas told the newspaper from an Anchorage hospital where she had been airlifted on Wednesday. "By the end, I was thinking, 'I could die here'."

Thomas returned to her truck, some 1.5 miles away, after the attack, according to a report by Alaska State Troopers.


(Reporting by Steve Quinn in Juneau, Alaska; Writing by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by

 

[crewdog05]

Lucky to be alive, might have had cubs in the area and was just trying to protect them, other wise she would have been a meal.

 

[whichwatch]

Lucky to be alive, might have had cubs in the area and was just trying to protect them, other wise she would have been a meal.

What do you mean "other wise she would have been a meal"? Seems to me she could have been a meal the way it was.

 

[ronto]

Male Brown Bears are very territorial which makes them especially dangerous if you happen to venture unknowingly into their neighborhood. The female of any bear species will attack if they sense you pose a danger to her cubs. If there were no cubs in the area, the attacker was probably a male.

 

[gramps]

This occurred no where "near" Juneau it was in Cordova which is close to Anchorage.
A very lucky lady.
gramps

 

[exavid]

Yep, it's a bit over 400 miles between Cordova and Juneau. I've made the flight several times in my Mooney back in the early '90s when I lived in Juneau and it took about two and half hours or so each way. Not what I'd call 'near to Juneau.

 

[akbluz]

Another good reason to have your dogs on a leash in bear country.... and a good reason to carry a 12gauge with buckshot or slugs.

 

[redhawker]

My first thought is why is she hiking through a bear area with her dogs and not carrying some type of firearm? Did she think the dogs would protect her?

 

[Colonialgirl]

Probably some Eastern Liberal Anti-Gun, PETA nut.

 

[gramps]

They call dogs bear bait for a reason
gramps

 

[graygun]

Maybe she wouldn't want to hurt a nice bear. I was also wondering if she was armed on that hike. Hope she heals well.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Another good reason to have your dogs on a leash in bear country.... and a good reason to carry a 12gauge with buckshot or slugs.

+100 Most liberal folks think everyone else should have their dogs on leashes but they don't need to. I hope she learned something out of this.

They also know through osmosis is they aren't ever going to become a victim and don't need a gun. Some are slow learners. :roll:

 

[TucsonDirt]

No bear spray? No firearm?
What was she thinking?

 

[Colonialgirl]

No bear spray? No firearm?
What was she thinking?

NO, NO, The correct wording is:

WAS SHE EVEN THINKING ??

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Too many people think because it's never happened it won't happen to them. I'm not psychic but anyone can be a victim of crime or nature if you are not prepared.