Field and Stream - Animal Attacks RSS

Video, Interview: Mountain Biker Clobbered by Charging Antelope

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:31:20 -0400

by Dave Maccar

Charging wildlife isn’t the first thing on a mountain biker’s mind in the heat of a race, but the animals don’t know that.

Evan van der Spuy was racing in the 38 km Time Freight MTB Express mountain bike race at Albert Falls Dam, 20km outside the city of Pietermaritzburg in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa for Team Jeep South Africa over the weekend.

His teammate, Travis Walker, was in third place with a GoPro camera mounted on his bike, and captured this amazing footage below of Evan, who was in second place until this red hartebeest (a member of the antelope family) had something to say about it.

Yes, the hit was as hard as it looks. Evan was stabilized with a neck brace and taken to the hospital for overnight observation. He sustained a minor concussion, whiplash and some bruising on his head where his helmet imploded on impact.

F&S spoke to Evan today to get his take on the events behind this video, which is rapidly going viral.

Evan said he is recovering well, and feels extremely lucky.

“Luckily I walked away with just a bit of whiplash and a concussion, considering what happened,” he says. “I saw the animal moving to cross the road in front of me, but when I saw how close it really was, I was shocked. Then, from the moment it hit me I was unconscious. I actually don’t know what happened from then.”

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos of September 2011

Online Editors — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:23:37 -0400

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos of September

Canadian Moose Hunter Fends Off Charging Black Bear With Bow

Sarah Smith — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:36:32 -0400

--Chad Love

A Canadian moose hunter is out of the hospital after fending off (and ultimately killing) a charging black bear.

From this story on lotwenterprise.com:

A Kenora area hunter is lucky to be alive after fighting off a bear attack, Sept. 26. The 48-year-old man was treated for puncture wounds to his arm, shoulder and neck at Lake of the Woods district hospital and released later the same afternoon. The bear was mortally wounded during the encounter and did not survive. A Ministry of Natural Resources official credits the man for taking action to save his life.

"It was a dangerous situation," affirmed MNR Lake of the Woods supervisor Leo Heyens. "He did all the right things. If he hadn't fired an arrow or fought back, yelling and making himself look big, it could have been more serious."

Video: Brit Attacked by Great White off Cape Town Coast

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:27:21 -0400

--Dave Maccar

A 42-year-old British expat reportedly lost most of his right leg and part of his left foot after being repeatedly bitten by a great white shark off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa today. A YouTube video (below) taken moments after the attack shows a huge shark lurking in the water.

From this story on the UK Telegraph:

Several beaches along the city's False Bay coastline this afternoon remained closed after officials warned it was likely the deadly beast remained in the area.

Craig Lambinon, a spokesman for the National Sea Rescue Institute, said the victim was this afternoon in a serious condition in a private hospital in the city.

"This man was swimming around 50 metres from the beach when the shark attacked him at around 12.20pm," he said.

"It repeatedly bit at both of his legs and caused serious wounds on both the right and left side.

Officials: MT Hunter Killed by Bullet, Not Bear

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:30:44 -0400

--Dave Maccar

A tragic update from Montana: the Lincoln County Sherriff’s office says a hunter attacked by a bear last Friday after shooting it on the north Idaho-Montana border died of a gunshot wound, not from injuries inflicted by the 400-pound grizzly.

According to this story on IdahoStatesman.com, when Steve Stevenson of Nevada was attacked by the grizzly in the Buckhorn Mountain area, his hunting partner, Ty Bell, shot the bear several times in an effort to save Stevenson.

It is likely one of those shots passed through the bear and hit Stevenson in the chest, killing him, according to the Lincoln County Coroner, Steve Schnackenberg.

Steve Stevenson, 39, of Winnemucca, Nev., was attacked by the bear in the Buckhorn Mountain area of the North Idaho-Montana border last Friday.

Results from a Montana State Crime Lab autopsy released Friday showed Stevenson suffered one gunshot to his chest, officials from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said. Lincoln County Coroner Steve Schnackenberg, who viewed Stevenson's body before it was autopsied, told The Idaho Statesman he saw clear signs of the hunter having been attacked by the bear, including bites and scratch marks.

"We're pretty sure the bullet passed through the bear before it got to him," Schnackenberg said, declining to say why. "We're pretty sure of that."

Montana Outfitter on Horseback Saves Boy From Grizzly Charge

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:00:41 -0400

--Hal Herring

Amid all the grizz stories coming out of the Rockies these days, this one stands tall. If you ever find yourself about to be keelhauled by 600 pounds of furious airborn grizzly, you can only hope that 25-year-old Erin Bolster is riding nearby on the mighty 18 hands tall horse, Tonk.

Check out this wild tale written by F&S Rut Reporter Rich Landers in The Spokesman-Review via Missoulian.com:

A young woman on a big horse charged out of the pack of grizzly bear stories this summer near Glacier National Park. In a cloud of dust, the 25-year-old wrangler likely saved a boy's life while demonstrating that skill, quick-thinking and guts sometimes are the best weapons against a head-on charging bear.

On July 30, Erin Bolster of Swan Mountain Outfitters was guiding eight clients on a horse ride on the Flathead National Forest between West Glacier and Hungry Horse.

Hunter Mistakenly Shoots Grizzly, Killed by Wounded Bear

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:33:07 -0400

--Dave Maccar

Two hunters going after black bears along the Idaho-Montana border mistakenly shot a grizzly and one of the men paid with his life. Steve Stevenson, 39, of Nevada yelled to draw the wounded, 400-pound grizzly away from his hunting partner when it charged them and was mauled to death.

From this story on Missoulan.com:
"They both shot it and it kept coming," Steve Stevenson's mom, Janet Price, said on Saturday. "Steve yelled at it to try and distract it, and it swung around and took him down. It's what my son would have done automatically, for anybody."

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in Montana said Stevenson, of Winnemucca, Nev., died Friday after 20-year-old Ty Bell wounded what he thought was a black bear and the two men tracked it into thick cover along the Idaho-Montana border where it attacked at about 10 a.m. Friday.

What's Your Ideal Trail Gun?

Sarah Smith — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:10:59 -0400

by Phil Bourjaily

This week on The Gun Nuts, Eddie Nickens talks about trail guns, using my two .22 handguns as examples. As Eddie points out, .22's are fun and inexpensive to shoot and can be loaded with a wide range of ammo. Nevertheless, they may not fit the bill as everyone’s trail gun.

When Would You Kill a Venomous Snake?

Sarah Smith — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:54:42 -0400

--Chad Love

Early one chilly fall morning some 16 years ago, on the scout day for a weekend bonus deer archery hunt I had been drawn out on, I was stumbling my way along a game trail in far eastern Oklahoma when I stepped over--literally stepped over, with my family jewels open to immediate and easily-accessible fanged attack--a cold, curled-up timber rattler trying to warm itself up right in the middle of the trail. This brings up an interesting twist on an age-old philosophical question: If a grown man screams like a wee girl in the middle of the forest, and there's no one around to hear him, does he make a sound?

I'll let you be the judge of that, but when I saw this cool video of a large timber rattler swimming across a Kentucky lake, those nightsweats I thought I'd finally gotten over suddenly started up again...

Family of Man Killed by Mountain Goat Sues Olympic National Park

Online Editors — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:36:11 -0400

--Chad Love

The family of a man who was gored to death last October by a mountain goat in Olympic National Park has filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit.

From this story in the Seattle Times:
The incident took place on Oct. 16 when Bob Boardman, 63, was hiking at Klahhane Ridge in the park, along with his wife, Susan Chadd and a friend, Pat Willis. According to an incident report filed by Colin Smith, the park's chief ranger, "the goat approached Boardman's party while they were sitting and having lunch. They did not approach the goat; instead when it came up to them they attempted to leave the area.

Polar Bear Mauls, Kills UK Teen in Norway

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:07:20 -0400

--Dave Maccar

With the list of grizzly and black bear attacks this year steadily growing, we can add polar bears to the mix. While on a British Schools Exploring Society trip in the Norwegian Island of Svalbard, 17-year-old Horatio Chappie of the UK was mauled to death by a polar bear. The bear injured four others in the 12-person party before one of the group members shot and killed it.

From this story on BBCNews:
The four who were hurt - two severely - included two leaders of the trip. They have been flown to Tromsoe in Norway where their condition is stable. BSES chairman Edward Watson described Mr Chapple as a "fine young man".

Mr Watson said the society had been in touch with his family - who live near Salisbury - and had offered "our utmost sympathy".

He said: "Horatio was a fine young man, hoping to go on to read medicine after school. By all accounts he would've made an excellent doctor."

He said the society's executive director was travelling to Svalbard, adding: "We are continuing to gather information on this tragedy." Mr Chapple was studying at Eton College in Berkshire. Geoff Riley, head of teaching and learning technologies at the school paid tribute on Twitter, saying his thoughts and prayers were with his family. The attack, near the Von Post glacier about 25 miles (40km) from Longyearbyen, took place early on Friday.

The group contacted the Svalbard authorities using a satellite phone and a helicopter was sent to rescue them. The bear was shot dead by a member of the group.

Bear Attacks, Injures 2 Young New Jersey Campers in State Park

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:58:08 -0400

--Chad Love

Bear attacks aren't generally the first thing to come to mind when you think of Jersey. I mean, we expect rampaging Sopranos and Snookies, vicious Real Housewives and bellicose bear-sized governors, but a real, live bear attack is exactly what two Sussex County, New Jersey teens recently experienced.

From this story in the Wall Street Journal:
Two juveniles sustained minor injuries after a black bear attacked their campsite in northwestern New Jersey Wednesday. The attack occurred in Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. State Police say a black bear entered an area being used by campers from Montague-based Trail Blazers Camp. Troopers say the bear grabbed one juvenile out of a tent, causing a minor foot injury. It then swiped at another, causing a shoulder injury. The bear left, but soon returned and was rummaging through the campsite when state fish and game officials arrived and shot the bear in the neck.

Jersey bear attacks are uncommon. Has anyone else from the Garden State had a run-in with a bruin recently?

Nat. Park Revises Wildlife-Watching Guidelines After Recent Bear Attacks

Online Editors — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:00:47 -0400

by Chad Love

Officials at the Grand Teton National Park have revised their wildlife-watching guidelines in response to the spate of recent bear attacks in national parks and across the country.

From this story in National Parks Traveler:
"...The need for the revisions arose as more and more visitors took to the roofs of their vehicles to photograph bears and, in at least two instances, the bears took exception and charged the vehicles, according to park officials. While park guidelines long have said visitors should not approach within 100 yards of bears and wolves, or within 25 yards from other animals, including nesting birds, the updated regulation now specifies that "remaining, viewing, or engaging in any activity within 100 yards of bears or wolves" is against park regulations. With highly photogenic grizzly sows No. 399 and No. 610 -- and, this year, their five cubs -- regularly frequenting the park's front country, more and more photographers realized that they could get some great shots of them if they just waited long enough, Grand Teton spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said Thursday.

Hiker Killed by Grizzly in Yellowstone National Park

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:58:56 -0400

--Chad Love

A hiker in Yellowstone National Park was killed by a grizzly bear Wednesday after apparently surprising a female grizzly and her cubs. It was the park's first fatal bear attack since 1986.

From this story in the Washington Post:
A killer grizzly is roaming Yellowstone National Park’s backcountry after mauling a man who apparently surprised the female bear and its cubs while hiking with his wife. Officials closed remote campgrounds and trails near the scene of Wednesday’s attack close to Canyon Village, which sits in the middle of the sprawling park. The identity of the 57-year-old victim was being withheld until his family could be notified, said Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash.

The mauling occurred just after Yellowstone’s peak weekend for tourism. While lamenting the death, officials said they didn’t want to overemphasize the danger to visitors.

Jim Baird’s Arctic Adventure: Why I Did The Trip

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:45:41 -0400

Why did I do this trip? That’s a question that I don’t actually have a solid answer for. There are several reasons, but I always find myself sputtering when asked. I know that sounds a little odd. I traveled 755 miles through the frozen Arctic by snowmobile while camping out in sub-zero temperatures with polar bears, dangerous ice conditions, and blizzards all constantly looming, and I can’t think of a solid reason why.

George Mallory said it beautifully when he was asked: “Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?” His reply: “Because it’s there.” Mallory died attempting to climb the mountain. I am not a mountain climber and I can’t relate to his fate. It does remind me to stay safe. I can relate to his answer, though, and I’m going to roll with it.

Off the Chain: Which of These 70 Viral Outdoors Emails are Real and Which are Hoaxes?

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:31:12 -0400

Those viral email forwards are hoaxes, right? Check out these 70 popular chain-mails and see.

Close Calls: Hunter Escapes Grizzly

Online Editors — Sun, 01 May 2011 13:17:16 -0400

Kim Wunderlich was bowhunting for elk in Montana's Gravelly Mountains when a grizzly charged. He tells the story of the attack.

Jim Baird’s Arctic Adventure: Reflections From Back Home

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:09:47 -0400

Now that Jim Baird is back from his two-week-long Arctic adventure, we thought we’d catch up with him to talk about the highs and lows of his trip and hear about how it feels to be back home.

F&S: What’s been the toughest part as far as readjusting back to “normal” life?
Jim Baird: Seeing so many people around me. I felt a little claustrophobic at first. Also, it’s a different mindset when you only have to focus on regular daily activities—and not on your survival. This makes you feel complacent to things that may have seemed stressful before. That’s a good thing.

F&S: Ten years from now, what memory of the trip do you think will stand out as the best?
JB: When I was driving on the smooth ice of the Amundsen Gulf in awe of the scenery and I first got the feeling that we were going to make it. Sometimes it’s the scary memories that stick with us. This way we learn from them and are safer next time. It’s a survival instinct. In the future a dangerous moment from the trip may end up being the “best” memory because it could end up saving my life. It is also often an exhilarating feeling to have survived something dangerous. I learned from being chilled to the bone as the sun rose over Prince Albert Sound. I learned from realizing there was only an inch of ice under my feet at a pressure ridge on Great Bear Lake. I definitely learned from coming close to driving off a canyon wall as we traveled in the dark. I will remember these things as part of the adventure and cherish them—but at the same time remember not to let them happen again.

Video: The (Mock) Polar Bear Charge Shootout

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:17:41 -0500

In today’s video I’m practicing my aim in a drill that simulates a charging animal. For the test I rigged a target on a pulley and had it come “charging” toward me. The goal was to hit the target three times before it reached me—or else, I’m bear food. Although this was a good way to practice, it’s impossible to prepare for the kind of fear I’d experience if a bear were really to charge me.

Close Calls: Hunter Attacked By Bear

Online Editors — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 17:09:20 -0500

A California bear hunter survived an attack by a wounded black bear in the Tahoe National Forest

Close Calls: Bitten By A Brown Recluse

Online Editors — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:52:25 -0500

A West Virginia deer hunter describes being bitten by a brown recluse

Alabama Man Fends Off Panther Attack With Knife

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:41:44 -0500

--Dave Maccar

An Alabama man was walking his dog near his home and was attacked by a panther. He got some claws to the leg, but he and his dog walked away after some under-pressure knifework.

Check out the story and video below from WHNT.com: We are working on getting more details on this story as soon as we can.

A Marshall County man is recovering after being attacked by a panther. Frank Harmes says the attack happened Wednesday behind his home.

Man Killed by Mountain Goat While Hiking in Washington

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:29:37 -0400

It’s no secret to anyone who spends time in the outdoors that mother nature, and her inhabitants, can turn on you at any time, causing potential injury or death. But how often do you think of a deadly threat coming from a mountain goat? And an aggressive one at that…

This story from the Los Angeles Times: tells how an experienced, 63-year-old hiker was killed in a mountain goat attack in Washington’s Olympic National Park.

A 63-year-old man described by authorities as an experienced hiker died from injuries he sustained during an encounter with an aggressive mountain goat Saturday in Washington's Olympic National Park. According to the Peninsula Daily News, Bob Boardman, of Port Angeles, Wash., was on a day hike with his wife, Susan Chadd, and their friend Pat Willits and had stopped for lunch at an overlook when a mountain goat appeared and moved toward them. When the goat began behaving aggressively, Boardman urged Chadd and Willits to leave the scene.

read more

New Smartphone App IDs Florida Reptiles

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:38:27 -0400

The term "there's an app for that" may be a cliché, but it's a true one. There is seemingly an iPhone application for every conceivable situation. Confronted by a monster snake while stuck in the middle of the Florida Everglades? Yes, there is an app for that. It may not save you from being swallowed, but at least (if you're fast enough with your thumbs) allow you to know exactly what species of giant snake is consuming you.

From this story in the Palm Beach Post:

Having trouble telling the difference between a Burmese python and a Ball python? There's an app for that. The recently released IveGot1 app is a field identification guide to help identify some of the biggest, nastiest reptiles slithering around South Florida. "I wouldn't have believed years ago, when I started doing this, that the public would be engaged like this," said Dan Thayer, director of Vegetation and Land Management and invasive species expert at the South Florida Water Management District. "This is an incredibly valuable tool."

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Crocodile Attacks Boat During Australian Fishing Tourney

Joe_Cermele — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:36:33 -0400

From this story on ABC News (Australia):
A group of women taking part in a Northern Territory fishing challenge at the weekend had a lucky escape when a crocodile tried to push over their boat. Toni Flouse was one of the women competing in the Secret Women's Business Fishing Challenge at Corroboree, about 90 kilometres east of Darwin. She says they were fishing in a bay of lilies when they spotted an old lure floating in the water. The group considered reaching out and retrieving it but Ms Flouse jokingly said, "No, no, Mr Crocodile might come out of the water". Sure enough, out of nowhere, came a three-metre crocodile.

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