Re: [Paddlewise] Guns and Polar Bears

> You can't just leave us hanging here.  What did you do to survive these
two
> attacks?
>


    In both cases the bear broke off the charge.
    The polar bear was in Manitoba along the shore of the Hudson Bay north
of Churchill. We had paddled the North Knife River and paddled down bay to a
hunting camp to await a float plane to pick us up. While carrying gear from
the Bay to the lodge (about 200 yards) we saw a polar bear lying on the
tundra about 30 yards away.  We were walking atop a small esker and the bear
was below us. We decided to let him know we were there to avoid surprise. he
merely lazily looked up at us as we shouted and went back to sleep. When we
went back to get our second load of gear he totally ignored us . However
when we returned with the gear he suddenly jumped up and charged straight at
us teeth showing and roaring. The side of the esker was covered in brush and
he charge into the brush full speed. I aimed my shot gun (12 gauge loaded
with slugs) at where I thought he would come out ready to fire . However
once in the brush he broke off his charge and came out about 10 yards to our
left and ran away along the top of the esker.
    Looking back at the incident I belive the bears intent was to back us
off so he could escape. It just so happened that we were standing in his
escape route.
    The other incident happened while I was living in Angoon. A young bear,
2-4 years old was our best guess, had entered the village and had raided a
couple smoke houses. It was salmon season and everryone was smoking fish.
People ran him out of town mostly by making noise. The problem was he ran
out onto a small pennisula instead back into the woods from where he came.
Disorientated and scared he became agitated.
    The village safety officer saw me about to take off paddling and ask me
to keep an eye out for the bear. (he feared they might have to shoot it.)
The tide was running in so was working the back eddies in order to head out
to sea, hence I was close to shore. I saw the bear at the edge of the woods
and when he saw me he charged down the beach and into the water. I was
probably 25 feet out and in maybe 10 feet of water. I yelled at the bear and
he ran back to the shore then at me again . Each time I yelled and he backed
off. Finally after 3 or 4 charges he ran into the woods.
    The key to his behavior was he was later seen swimming across the
channel from this beach a couple hours later at slack tide. I believe like
the polar bear he was trying to escape and I was in the way.
    Still alive and kicking
    Bob
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