Be Extra Careful in Bear Country

[goverton]

BEAR’S EATING ME, GIRL TOLD MUM IN CALL



The double killing is the latest in a spate of bear attacks across ­Russia

Wednesday August 17,2011
By Will Stewart in Moscow


A DISTRAUGHT mother listened on a mobile phone as her teenage daughter was eaten alive by a brown bear and its three cubs.

Olga Moskalyova, 19, gave an horrific hour-long running commentary on her own death in three separate calls as the wild animals killed her.

She screamed: “Mum, the bear is eating me! Mum, it’s such agony. Mum, help!’”

Her mother Tatiana said that at first thought she was joking. “But then I heard the real horror and pain in Olga’s voice, and the sounds of a bear growling and chewing.”

She added: “I could have died then and there from shock.”

Unknown to Tatiana, the bear had already killed her husband Igor Tsyganenkov – Olga’s stepfather – by overpowering him, breaking his neck and smashing his skull. Olga, a trainee psychologist, saw the ­attack on her stepfather in tall grass and reeds by a river in Russia and fled for 70 yards before the mother bear grabbed her leg.

As the creature toyed with her, she managed to call Tatiana several times during the prolonged attack. Tatiana rang her husband – not knowing he was ­already dead – but got no answer.

ì
Mum, the bear is eating me! Mum, it’s such agony. Mum, help!
î

Olga

She alerted the police and relatives in the village of Termalniy, near Petropavlovsk Kamchatskiy, in the extreme east of Siberia.

She begged them to rush to the river where the pair had gone to retrieve a fishing rod that Igor had left.

In a second call, a weak Olga gasped: “Mum, the bears are back. She came back and brought her three babies. They’re... eating me”.

Finally, in her last call – almost an hour after the first – Olga sensed she was on the verge of death.

With the bears having apparently left her to die, she said: “Mum, it’s not hurting anymore. I don’t feel the pain. Forgive me for everything, I love you so much.”




The call cut off and that was the last Tatiana heard from her ­daughter. Half an hour later, Igor’s brother Andrei arrived with police to find the mother bear still devouring his body. Badly mauled Olga was also dead.

Six hunters were sent in by the emergency services to kill the mother bear and her three cubs.

The double killing is the latest in a spate of bear attacks across ­Russia, as the hungry animals seek food in areas where people have ­encroached and settled on their former habitat.

A weeping Tatiana said that Olga had everything to look forward to, and was happy with her life and boyfriend Stepan.

“My daughter was such fun. She was so cheerful, friendly, and warm,” said Tatiana.

“She had graduated from music school, and just days before the bear attack she got her driving ­licence.”

Her husband and daughter are due to be buried today.

 

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[TheNewCatfish]

Unfortunately there isn't alot you can do in bear country to avoid an attack, except carry a gun and pray you have enough time to use it before a bear reaches you. Bears are great predators. They can climb higher, run faster, out fight and out swim a human. They are stealthy (almost invisible) and silent while stalking prey. If you see a bear low to the ground moving toward you, (especially with his ears back and flattened), you are probably being stalked as prey. Standing tall, making noise and backing away slowly probably isn't going to work in this situation. Arm yourself with whatever you can (club, rocks, anything) and fight for your life. Yes. You are correct. Bears (because of their obvious advantage in size and power) do not usually kill their prey (as some other predators do) before they start feeding. So in most cases, if you are taken by a large bear, you will probably face the horrible end of being EATEN ALIVE.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

One thing to bring with you...... BIG handgun.

 

[kuger]

Unfortunately there isn't alot you can do in bear country to avoid an attack, except carry a gun and pray you have enough time to use it before a bear reaches you. Bears are great predators. They can climb higher, run faster, out fight and out swim a human. They are stealthy (almost invisible) and silent while stalking prey. If you see a bear low to the ground moving toward you, (especially with his ears back and flattened), you are probably being stalked as prey. Standing tall, making noise and backing away slowly probably isn't going to work in this situation. Arm yourself with whatever you can (club, rocks, anything) and fight for your life. Yes. You are correct. Bears (because of their obvious advantage in size and power) do not usually kill their prey (as some other predators do) before they start feeding. So in most cases, if you are taken by a large bear, you will probably face the horrible end of being EATEN ALIVE.

You either have been reading too many fiction books or have your animals crossed....Bears dont stalk and Do not "lay there ears back",LOL!!!Also,depending on type of bear,do or do not fight back,protect your mid section and head as best you can.Playing dead with a Grizzly may work,while curled into a ball.This "playing dead",wont work with a Black bear.Dont run,with either.Bells or such....any thing to make noise is your best bet in bear country as %99 of attacks are surprised Sow bears with young.

 

[fibberjibber]

Bearspray. Costs about 60 bucks with a holster. Learn to use it. Keep your head about you and be visible and noisy in bear country. Dont go alone. But dont worry too much- they are afraid of humans unless with cubs, surprised, or conditioned. If they sense you- even with cubs- they will likely be gone before you know they were there. Also, if you HAVE to run because you are being actively attacked, run downhill. Their shorter hind legs prevent them from running down hills. Uphill and cross country they can outrun you in seconds. Key is not to get in this situation in the first place
-e

 

[stagger]

One thing to bring with you...... BIG handgun.

And if you bring a big handgun to guard against brown bears, be sure to file off the front sight so it won't huurt so bad when a brownie sticks it up your a**.

 

[Rasputin]

 

[calisdad]

Kuger nailed it: a surprised sow with cubs make up the large majority of attacks.
If you're concerned carry a can of wasp spray. Just as effective as bear spray and much cheaper.

I live in bear country and see track all the time. When I do I try to go in the opposite direction of the track but seeing them is quite rare as they are nocturnal and I'm not.

btw- if a bear was eating me the last thing I'd reach for is my cell phone.

 

[kuger]

Kuger nailed it: a surprised sow with cubs make up the large majority of attacks.
If you're concerned carry a can of wasp spray. Just as effective as bear spray and much cheaper.

I live in bear country and see track all the time. When I do I try to go in the opposite direction of the track but seeing them is quite rare as they are nocturnal and I'm not.

btw- if a bear was eating me the last thing I'd reach for is my cell phone.

More and more of em round here every day!It was a rarity to see one when I was a kid

 

[fibberjibber]

I live in bear country and see track all the time. When I do I try to go in the opposite direction of the track but seeing them is quite rare as they are nocturnal and I'm not.

Just to clairify, bears are nocturnal. But they are also active during the day. Hence, the endless daytime photos of bears lol. Be prepared and aware in bear country.

 

[joeman]

One thing to bring with you...... BIG handgun.

And if you bring a big handgun to guard against brown bears, be sure to file off the front sight so it won't huurt so bad when a brownie sticks it up your a**.

Yeah, the Grizzlies up here are HUGE and if surprised, no handgun is going to help you UNLESS it's a VERY LOUD one. It's also 'Illegal' to carry ANY Hand-Gun up here (unless to and from the range) and ALL weapons are restricted in National and most Provincial Parks, reserves, etc.
Although a Gun would be nice to have, the air-horn is far more effective and Bear Spray is absolutely your best bet against any bear (in close encounters) due to their incredibly sensitive olfactory system. Although it has good 'distance', Wasp Spray has proven quite 'In-effective' in recent years and I personally wouldn't recommend it. My Postman likes to fish High-Mountain Lakes and rivers (Hike in only) and he wears a bear-bell and carries both Bear Spray and a Small Air-Horn (the kind you put in a safety kit in a boat) and has had to use the latter, several times, both on Bears and Mountain Lions (Cougars). The noise scares the 'Holy Hell' outta' them and certified Bear Spray (NOT the stuff at the local Dollar Store) can drop even the biggest bear, but keep in mind, you NEED to hit the Nose or Mouth for it to be 100% effective and that means you're going to be 'very close' to said bear....

 

[kuger]

Bearspray. Costs about 60 bucks with a holster. Learn to use it. Keep your head about you and be visible and noisy in bear country. Dont go alone. But dont worry too much- they are afraid of humans unless with cubs, surprised, or conditioned. If they sense you- even with cubs- they will likely be gone before you know they were there. Also, if you HAVE to run because you are being actively attacked, run downhill. Their shorter hind legs prevent them from running down hills. Uphill and cross country they can outrun you in seconds. Key is not to get in this situation in the first place
-e

I wouldnt depend on that "downhill",myth,cause thats what it is!!!I have personally watched bears outrun Elk down hill!!Good luck with that!!!

 

[kuger]

One thing to bring with you...... BIG handgun.

And if you bring a big handgun to guard against brown bears, be sure to file off the front sight so it won't huurt so bad when a brownie sticks it up your a**.

Yeah, the Grizzlies up here are HUGE and if surprised, no handgun is going to help you UNLESS it's a VERY LOUD one. It's also 'Illegal' to carry ANY Hand-Gun up here (unless to and from the range) and ALL weapons are restricted in National and most Provincial Parks, reserves, etc.
Although a Gun would be nice to have, the air-horn is far more effective and Bear Spray is absolutely your best bet against any bear (in close encounters) due to their incredibly sensitive olfactory system. Although it has good 'distance', Wasp Spray has proven quite 'In-effective' in recent years and I personally wouldn't recommend it. My Postman likes to fish High-Mountain Lakes and rivers (Hike in only) and he wears a bear-bell and carries both Bear Spray and a Small Air-Horn (the kind you put in a safety kit in a boat) and has had to use the latter, several times, both on Bears and Mountain Lions (Cougars). The noise scares the 'Holy Hell' outta' them and certified Bear Spray (NOT the stuff at the local Dollar Store) can drop even the biggest bear, but keep in mind, you NEED to hit the Nose or Mouth for it to be 100% effective and that means you're going to be 'very close' to said bear....

There are exceptions to every rule,and I have personally staved off attacks with Bear spray,but....I had a bear ravage a camp when we werent there and it bit a can of bear spray,not once but twice!(The Montana Outfitters Assoc. has the can now)also a study was done with bear spray on salmon and found that bears were actually more attracted to the ones with the spray.....your hands down best bet is a sawed off shotgun with double ought Buckshot to the face

 

[fibberjibber]

[/quote]

There are exceptions to every rule,and I have personally staved off attacks with Bear spray,but....I had a bear ravage a camp when we werent there and it bit a can of bear spray,not once but twice!(The Montana Outfitters Assoc. has the can now)also a study was done with bear spray on salmon and found that bears were actually more attracted to the ones with the spray.....your hands down best bet is a sawed off shotgun with double ought Buckshot to the face
[/quote]

A couple points.. Bears can run downhill, just not very well. Neither can Elk. But we can and we can also outrun a bear downhill. And I ONLY recommended it if you were actively being bit/eaten/attacked and have no other alternative but to flee.
I also want to add that I too love pepper. Eat the stuff all the time. Black, white, jalepeno, bell, habenero, etc. But ask me to rub any of that in my eyes or snort it? I'd rather play in traffic.
Lastly, a sawed off shotgun spreads a wide pattern which lessens the impact of the pellets, unlike a tight cluster. Bears also have a pretty thick skull, especially grizzlies. I know, I have held their heads. A shotgun will just piss them off a bit more, not kill them.
So I would suggest you do a little more reading and learning before you recommend procedures to fend off a bear to anyone. I am not trying to be a jerk, just a bit firm on this point. Spending years in the national parks I have seen a lot of nice people doing some pretty crazy things with even crazier ideas in their heads. I dont want to see anyone off this site get hurt or hurt someone else following bad advice.

 

[kuger]

There are exceptions to every rule,and I have personally staved off attacks with Bear spray,but....I had a bear ravage a camp when we werent there and it bit a can of bear spray,not once but twice!(The Montana Outfitters Assoc. has the can now)also a study was done with bear spray on salmon and found that bears were actually more attracted to the ones with the spray.....your hands down best bet is a sawed off shotgun with double ought Buckshot to the face
[/quote]

A couple points.. Bears can run downhill, just not very well. Neither can Elk. But we can and we can also outrun a bear downhill. And I ONLY recommended it if you were actively being bit/eaten/attacked and have no other alternative but to flee.
I also want to add that I too love pepper. Eat the stuff all the time. Black, white, jalepeno, bell, habenero, etc. But ask me to rub any of that in my eyes or snort it? I'd rather play in traffic.
Lastly, a sawed off shotgun spreads a wide pattern which lessens the impact of the pellets, unlike a tight cluster. Bears also have a pretty thick skull, especially grizzlies. I know, I have held their heads. A shotgun will just piss them off a bit more, not kill them.
So I would suggest you do a little more reading and learning before you recommend procedures to fend off a bear to anyone. I am not trying to be a jerk, just a bit firm on this point. Spending years in the national parks I have seen a lot of nice people doing some pretty crazy things with even crazier ideas in their heads. I dont want to see anyone off this site get hurt or hurt someone else following bad advice.
[/quote]

Well,pardon me...as a matter of fact dear sir,I was a Big Game Guide Professionally for 25 years and then went to work for the Gov. Trapping Grizzlies so I know a thing or two about there habits....not from what I have read or heard,like you.Your statements are so false and outlandish I wont even take the time to dispell each individually,so go preach your professionalism to some other "not knowing",soul.I will however point out to you from first hand actual experience,that a shotgun blast to the face will immediately divert an imenant attack.If you knew anything of ballistics or the characteristics of the action of shot its pretty self explanatory.Take note of %90 of the folks that make there livings in bear country as I did and see what they carry

 

[kuger]

...one more question maybe you can,"research",so what are you to do once you have,"outrun",thus bear
How many bears have you actually used "spray",on?How many near attacks have you experienced?Better question,how many bears have you actually seen....not in a book or on T.V.??Ever lived amongst them??

 

[fibberjibber]

...one more question maybe you can,"research",so what are you to do once you have,"outrun",thus bear
How many bears have you actually used "spray",on?How many near attacks have you experienced?Better question,how many bears have you actually seen....not in a book or on T.V.??Ever lived amongst them??

Look, you are entitled to your opinion. I stated I was not trying to be a jerk, just firm. Yes, I have lived among them and, yes, I have used the spray. I also know that having a bunch of MDers running around with illegally shortened and loaded guns is probably not the best idea. Can you imagine an average joe aiming a gun when they are fleeing or fearing for their lives? Or checking to see if their buddy is in range of the gun? Pepper spray DOES work, and pretty good too. There is a reason why law enforcement and national park & forest employees are armed with canisters. I am not saying guns dont work. I am saying that pepper spray is effective. And much less lethal to bystanders and the shooter.
And its more helpful to the conversation when you refrain from the nasty sarcastic tone.
-e

 

[kuger]

...one more question maybe you can,"research",so what are you to do once you have,"outrun",thus bear
How many bears have you actually used "spray",on?How many near attacks have you experienced?Better question,how many bears have you actually seen....not in a book or on T.V.??Ever lived amongst them??

Look, you are entitled to your opinion. I stated I was not trying to be a jerk, just firm. Yes, I have lived among them and, yes, I have used the spray. I also know that having a bunch of MDers running around with illegally shortened and loaded guns is probably not the best idea. Can you imagine an average joe aiming a gun when they are fleeing or fearing for their lives? Or checking to see if their buddy is in range of the gun? Pepper spray DOES work, and pretty good too. There is a reason why law enforcement and national park & forest employees are armed with canisters. I am not saying guns dont work. I am saying that pepper spray is effective. And much less lethal to bystanders and the shooter.
And its more helpful to the conversation when you refrain from the nasty sarcastic tone.
-e

Points taken,however.....sawed off shotguns are not illegal everywhere(that kind of shows your experience with bears right there)second as I said,check around,see what weapon is most carried by Professionals,in bear country.The Gov. actually issued them to us when we were trapping grizzlies to attach tracking collars for one of the largest studies ever done in the Sawtooth basin,hmmm wonder why?I have had two different occasions where I deployed bear spray(because as a big game guide in Montana,you are not allowed to carry a gun)and yes,I am not dead,but I will tell you because the wind was blowing toward me with the bear at 5 ft. I not only got the bear but myself,and had the bear been serious about getting me,there would have been no running.Real nice feeling when you suddenly can not see!!!That bear was shot and killed a month later when it killed a hiker.Bottom line spray does work,I was merely giving other options,as I dont automatically think people are stupid or unresponsible enough to handle a firearm.You sound like our beloved elected officials wanting to protect everybody from them selves.Keep reading you will get it someday

 

[WV sifter]

FMJ armor piercing military round(id recommend the russian military 7.62x54)it WILL go though and through any part of any bear,just a side note.

 

[fibberjibber]

FMJ armor piercing military round(id recommend the russian military 7.62x54)it WILL go though and through any part of any bear,just a side note.

If you are going to go with military armaments, I think you can do better!