Monday, May 20, 2013
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Brown Bear With Cub Attacks 7 Teens Near ChulitnaTwo teens are in critical condition, with two others seriously injured and another three with minor injuries after being attacked by a brown bear with a cub.Related Content
A brown bear with a cub attacked a group of seven teens from the lower 48 late Saturday night near Chulitna, according to Alaska State Troopers. The teens were part of a larger group of teens and instructors participating in an outdoor survival skills and leadership program—they had been in the Alaskan wilderness for about one month.
Teens told troopers that the bear was first spotted around 8:30 p.m. while crossing a river single file. Those at the front of the line screamed the news of the approaching bear to those at the back. Troopers said that the two teens at the front of the line received the brunt of the bear attack. In the aftermath, the teens set up a tent where they provided first aid to each other and activated their Personal Location Beacon. About an hour after the initial attack, troopers received the teens’ PLB signal, which directed them to the group’s location at about 34 miles east of mile 143 of the Parks Highway. A pilot and trooper aboard Helo 1, an emergency helicopter, located the teens at 2:45 a.m. in their tent. Troopers report that two teens sustained serious life-threatening injuries, another two suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries, and another three suffered minor injuries. The group members have been identified as: Joshua Berg, 17, New City, New York Samuel Gottsegen, 17, Denver, Colorado Samuel Boas, 16, Westport, Connecticut Noah Allaine, 16, Albuquerque, New Mexico Simeon Melman, 17, Huntington, New York Victor Martin, 18, Richmond, California Shane Garlock, 16, Pittsford, New York The group members’ family members have been notified and officials in charge of the National Outdoor Leadership School training center in Palmer are actively involved in the investigation of this accident. Troopers are surveying the area in an attempt to find the bear and another group of seven students and three NOLS instructors who remain out in the field. The reason for the attack is still unknown. |
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Michelle said on Saturday, Jul 30 at 8:39 PM
@AKChuliRes ~ You humor me. lol I have a graduate degree in literacy. I think I am more than capable of reading this story. In response to my comments, I was only stating a fact about the laws in Alaska. It is also a fact that rude people lack basic etiquette skills and basic manners. :D Sure anyone who goes into the wilderness in AK should be caring a gun or at least have a responsible person caring one for protection. Still praying for these teens.
71568659Wild Bill said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 7:32 AM
Life is not risk free. If you choose to lessen risk by arming yourself with Knowledge, firearms, or anything else, its your business. Sometimes the price for whatever we do comes high, however we should not stop what we do because someone pays a high price for living life.
71366822Anonymous said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 9:15 AM
akchulres yes guns can be used for hunting and trapping that is a wonderful way to live. these kids were not hunting they were traveling as a group in bear country taking the appropriate steps to avoid encounter, the tools they had were education, free will and what appearantly was more than sufficient first aid training, they chose at the begining of there trip to use those tools and only those tools, call them fools if you will we all dont choose the same things you do. You ever drive with your seatbelt off? come on i know you have! stats say we are way more likely to die driving to work everyday than we would if we spent all of our time hiking through the alaska wilderness. we dont have to choose firearms to be safe they dont guarantee anything to anyone ever! are soldiers safe because they have guns, cops, nope aint no guarantee! people can choose things that others wouldnt, we all have a sliding scale of acceptable risk, that doesnt mean we dont asses it properly. ps moose kill to
71308872i told you so said on Monday, Jul 25 at 8:30 PM
they should close the forest like they close the parks in anchorage when a bear attacks someone, or just carry and use a gun in both places when need be
71283472jimbo said on Monday, Jul 25 at 1:21 PM
I did this course in 1991 and I don't remember us having any bear spray although its possible the instructors did. We also didn't have transponders, just some kind of radio to try and get in touch with passing airplanes in an emergency. Anyhow, after reading these comments, I feel so lucky to have survived and I'm sure all the hundreds of other "cityfolk" who have taken this course or the one in the brooks range feel the same. I didn't see any bears, only prints and scat. I also ride my motorcycle without a helmet sometimes, and I also rode the subway in New York without a gun either. Oh by the way I haven't been back to alaska since - it was kind of depressing.
71267952truth494 said on Monday, Jul 25 at 12:09 PM
Not saying I'm an expert but why would anyone go in any forest anywhere and not have a gun that is plain stupid.
71264593AKChulRes said on Monday, Jul 25 at 11:49 AM
Congrats, eggshen. You mushed through without incident. I'm pretty sure most people mush without incident due to the fact that while they are mushing, bears are HIBERNATING. "Leave No Trace" ethics don't preach anywhere in the handbook that discharging a firearm against wildlife is a violation. Leave No Trace is commonly practiced by many hunters and trappers quite successfully. The fact of the matter is that the young men did indeed have a very realistic training exercise in which to practice what they had learned. A firearm however could have aided in the safety of the young men in this situation. When traveling in the backcountry, one should be prepared to answer two questions. The first being, "Am I traveling in active bear country?", and the second being, "What am I going to do in the event there is an aggressive encounter with a bear?" To assume nothing is going to happen is just plain foolish.
71263366eggshenn said on Monday, Jul 25 at 8:54 AM
having attended that same course with nols in the 90s i can say that these kids did everything right the guides were not at fault nor the company as a whole. ak wilderness is an amazing thing to experience without the interactions of daily contacts with society. The guides are teachers and mentors that bring tremendous amounts of outdoor experience with them and many are alaskans themselves! the idea of bringing a gun doesnt quite fit the motto of nols as "leave no trace" includes not shotting the local wildlife. at some point near the end of their trip the kids get to go on a multi day solo without guides to put their new education to the test for real. clearly they had been taught the necessary tools for survival! guns arent the answer people these kids just had bad luck. i saw plenty of brownies when i was on that trip back then, no gun , no problem! i have mushed through remote parts of the land up here without incident. you cant tame nature that doesnt mean you have to dominate it
71253854akrock said on Monday, Jul 25 at 7:29 AM
I see a lot of comments bashing the organization for sending young people into the woods without proper protection. But I see none that commend them for their survival and leadership training. It definitely worked. The group acted as a team, did what was necessary to take care of the seriously injured and managed to come back alive, where most that live here don't. This was nothing more than a training exercise that they will never forget. Kudos to the team and their rescuers.
71248952Zammy said on Monday, Jul 25 at 7:27 AM
Alaska, It's cold and dangerous, don't go there.
71248851Bob W said on Monday, Jul 25 at 6:45 AM
The 7 ft bear that charged me 6 times is now hanging on my wall. No I did not want to kill this bear. I tried to run it off but it kept returning even after I fired 5 warning shots.
71246788James Caldwell said on Monday, Jul 25 at 5:13 AM
I was charged by the first brown bear I ever saw on Admirality Island off the coast from Juneau. The bear had a cub. I stood my ground and the bear stopped about 15 feet away and ran back to its cub. 90 percent of the time these bears are bluff charging. You people with your guns have watched too many Dirty Harry movie; your weak, ignorant fools. Read what to do when venturing into the wilds. There is plenty of information about how to behave in bear country.
71242189alaskanme said on Monday, Jul 25 at 4:58 AM
The whole point is:it's tragic and all of my wishes and hopes for recovery for the boys. Of course there should have been a guide with a weapon that would stop a charging bear! I'm sure those who say don't kill the bear mean that it's after the fact,the bear has gone back to its cubs or food.Leave it alone now. We must remember that we are the intruders. Should we protect ourselves? Definitely! I have shot bears that came too close for comfort and were menacing. I didn't feel happy about it,but by gosh I wasn't going to be mauled,either! So read carefully,do not judge. Being safe is a given here in Alaska.Being bloodthirsty should not enter the picture. Heal quickly and completely,boys....the Lord be with you! What is done is done...the animal in us should not destroy the animal that was merely protecting its territory and young. The proper precautions (guide,gun,watchfulness and common sense) could have averted this tragedy!
71241639SimplyMe said on Monday, Jul 25 at 3:56 AM
Totally preventable...Where was an adult with a gun? Whats the deal with "SAFE THE BEAR" Umm, SHOOT THE BEAR!
71239377Herschel K said on Monday, Jul 25 at 2:18 AM
People need to stay out of the bear's habitat, and that goes double for Meshugoim from New York, and triple for housing developers and "into the wild" freaks.
71237629indisbelief said on Monday, Jul 25 at 1:56 AM
so troopers and fish and feathers are looking for the bear? for what,kill it and leave it's cub or up to 3 cubs orphaned to starve? my heart goes out to the boys and families,and i'm asking the man upstairs that they be ok. but why are groups such as these turned loose in alaska,during salmon and cub season,without alaskan guides with rifles??? and forget pepper spray...a bear charging at approx 30 mph with fear for her cubs or protecting his food is not gonna be slowed down even a little. leave the bear alone and pray for those kids! "investigate",really????
71237332grandma said on Monday, Jul 25 at 1:36 AM
Lived in Alaska since 1948. Lived on a homestead very near the Chulitna. Also lived in the Talkeetna mountains while we built a hunting lodge. Grizzlies and black bears everywhere. I learned to shoot and properly care for an M1 carbine at age 10. I do NOT think these boys "bothered the bear". I do believe they shouted to those behind them. I do KNOW for a fact that if water such as a river or stream is being crossed,it makes noise! Also if the wind is not right,the bear knows not what it sees,only perceives anything it does see as a threat to its cubs. How can we blame the bears OR the boys? For the love of God....there should have been an Alaskan guide with proper firearm with them. I pray the boys will be ok and that the bear will be left alone, as she was only doing what nature tells her to do, in her own home.
71236994new2ak&learning said on Monday, Jul 25 at 12:44 AM
I don't own a gun. I don't camp or will go to the bathroom outdoors, says common sense. I am sure that they knew there could be danger living in the outdoors here. They have been here for a month and just got supid, complacent. I would also like to know where their guides were.
71236423grikdog said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 11:54 PM
It seems perfectly reasonable that a mother bear with a cub would attack intruding people.
71235927anonymus2 said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 10:17 PM
Where were the adults, with the guns or bear spray? Bears are very teritorial on salmon streams, these city kids should not have been there without an experienced Alaskan.
71234884AKChuliRes said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 9:44 PM
laska, I can see we found Michelle's reader. Thanks for pointing yourself out. Thank goodness for your sake you are just armed with a keyboard and not a firearm tonight, you'd be a goner.
71234429John said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 9:24 PM
I live near Elmore and Lore Road. We have more and more bears in our neigborhood every year. There are too many for the habitat. The state and city need to manage the bear population. I am 60 yrs old born and raised here in Alaska. i have been using the trails next to my house since the early nineteen eighties and the bears have only been a problem the last few years.
71234098LifeLongAlaskan said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 8:32 PM
I am a life long Alaskan. I give Kudos to the rescuers for all of their work. Our rescue teams are some of the best in the world and would feel very safe in their hands regardless of the situation. As for the Wilderness Group and the parents and kids. Alot of times these kids in these programs come from troubled backgrounds, not saying these kids are, I really do not know. But coming up here for a once in a lifetime chance to experience something like that is great! I am thinking that the Group did some amazing stuff since the kids did what they had learned and needed to do for their groupmates to survive. It is a tragedy no matter what. I keep everyone involved in my prayers, kids, families, group adults and rescuers. Excellent job, everyone. As for the bear, Fish and Game have to track it to make sure it is not an injured/dangerous bear. Find out why it attacked the group like that and take care of the problem if there is one to take care of.
71233146Anonymous said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 8:22 PM
laska... you're*
71232964Allen said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 8:01 PM
They had a group like this going on a hike near where I live off the Seward Highway. Somebody gives training lessons in Seward. They don't carry guns and look like some kind of boyscout/girlscout brigade, even down to identical backpacks. They have been having problems with an aggressive mother grizzly at bear creek, mile 6.5, and I watched a 800-1,000 pound big boar cross the stream by the house one night and go down the trail they were hiking on. Problem is: it's illegal to shoot brown bears, at least here in liberal Seward. The moment you shoot one, you have to report it and then go through hours of interrogation to make sure you were actually being charged and about to die and blah. If you can’t prove you were going to be attacked, your guns would be taken away by the police, you’d be a felon, and you would be fined, and if really unlucky, end up at Spring Creek surround by rapists for a while. So, here are the options: A. Get mauled, B. Jail. What’s the State becoming?
71232554Allen said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 7:58 PM
They had a group like this going on a hike near where I live off the Seward Highway. Somebody gives training lessons in Seward. They don't carry guns and look like some kind of boyscout/girlscout brigade, even down to identical backpacks. They have been having problems with an aggressive mother grizzly at bear creek, mile 6.5, and I watched a 800-1,000 pound big boar cross the stream by the house one night and go down the trail they were hiking on. Problem is: it's illegal to shoot brown bears, at least here in liberal Seward. The moment you shoot one, you have to report it and then go through hours of interrogation to make sure you were actually being charged and about to die and blah. If you can’t prove you were going to be attacked, your guns would be taken away by the police, you’d be a felon, and you would be fined, and if really unlucky, end up at Spring Creek surround by rapists for a while. So, here are the options: A. Get mauled, B. Jail. What’s the State becoming?
71232486patrick said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 7:57 PM
wow i was born and raised in alaska and i have three children and i would never let them go out into the wild with out a way to prtect them self's i gueas these poor children were almost lead to there death by anther government grant
71232471laska said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 7:38 PM
really, AKChuliRes, really, 16-18 not old enough to carry a firearm in wild alaska cmon, 18 yr olds wage war??? Where you from??? Education is key. When I was in grade school our teacher brought guns to school and taught us how to load and shoot them and to properly respect a firearm and most of all, it a firearm/protection not a weapon. Anything can be construed as a weapon, i know i got off the subject but there are too many stupid people moving to Alaska, stay where your comfortable. We canceled a boyscout camping trip this year because the stupid boy scout leaders would not allow us to bring guns with us to go camping in the wilderness. How stupid can people get. The wilderness is a bears home. Wake up leaders its your fault those boys got attacked by the bear. 100%
71232019billpcce said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 7:18 PM
I'm a NOLS graduate from '81.NOLS has been doing this in this area for many years ( 30 ) It's a fantastic school that has educated and changed the lives of thousands. MY only reaction is crossing the streams at 8:30PM is too late. They should have made camp by then . The kids probably got a late start. This is a one in a million situation.
71231438Brian S. said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 6:52 PM
Wow! I love some of these comments. Read up on the NOLS mission statement before you claim these poor kids deserve the mauling. I hope they or their family never read this garbage.
71230704tamenator said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 6:50 PM
The young people in this story should have had a gun.... I would never let my son or daughter go in the wilderness unproteced... the adults should have known better afterall this is Alaska
71230643John said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 6:23 PM
This is the unfortunate result of invasion of the bears' territory. I hope the bears are all right.
71229913Linda Grant said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 6:10 PM
I've spent many years around brown bears and the key word in the article for me was "screaming,"it sounds too much like a wounded animal and the bear reacted to protect its cub. Hope their recovery is swift.
71229574Rivka Zorea said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:49 PM
what do they mean they dont know why it attacked?? ITS A BEAR WITH A CUB???? How stupid! You dont go off wandering in the Alaska wilderness first of all!!
71228969Kathy said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:45 PM
In Alaska we don't antagonize bears because they will kill us, and you can bet that was the first thing those boys were taught. After concentrating on crossing a slippery river while wearing carrying all their gear, the boys up front probably didn't even see the bear until she was full into her charge. And Mama bears will attack any perceived threat to their cubs. Every once in a while hikers/runners/bikers surprise a grizzly, and this is the unfortunate result.
71228869Bob D. said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:45 PM
Others have said so I will too : Do NOT go into the Alaskan wilderness without a firearm. Just dumb. Hope all involved recover 100%. Tough way to learn a lesson. Been living here since 1969--not someone from below trying to give advice.
71228829potter said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:40 PM
yeah..and got to love the "Go visit Denali" ad on this same page with the 4 bear cubs...
71228669Anonymous said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:16 PM
Wonder if they were antagonizing the bear? Hummm, more than likely. A mother bear with a cub, she was protecting her baby and now those kids probably just got her shot and the cub an orphan!!!!!!
71228022jjj said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 5:15 PM
should have had an experienced adult up front with a weapon! leadership program? where was the leadership?
71228002AKChuliRes said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:49 PM
It says they were all 16-18, Michelle. Still sounds like they should have had firearms. You should get someone more literate to read the stories to you from here on out, I might suggest.
71225722tony b said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:44 PM
like the old saying go's sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you
71225624Michelle said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:41 PM
These were teens not adults. An unemancipated minor less than 16 years of age may not possess a firearm without the consent of his parent or guardian. Praying for these teens.
71225538Anonymous said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:38 PM
Brown bears with cubs isn't something you really want to be around. They aren't all cute a cuddly after all.
71225467AKChuliRes said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:35 PM
Actually, it's roaring, not growling. And it's a picture with an article. It's not a get well card to the teens. Toughen your skin, tleeb. It's insensitive for you to not spare us your whining. They should have had firearms. Poor kids.
71225378tleeb said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 3:01 PM
The picture of the growling bear included with this story isn't appropriate given that many of these teens are suffering from serious injuries. It seems insensitive.
71224406akm8 said on Sunday, Jul 24 at 2:52 PM
Learn how to properly use firearms!When you are in ALASKA you are in the bears teritory.
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