Backpacker shoots, kills grizzly in Alaska park

[Jazzy]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A backpacker shot and killed a grizzly bear with his handgun in Alaska's Denali National Park, officials said.



A man and woman reported that they were hiking Friday evening when the bear emerged from trailside brush and charged the woman, park spokeswoman Kris Fister said in a statement.



The man fired nine rounds from his .45 caliber, semiautomatic pistol at the animal, which then stopped and walked into the brush.



The two reported the shooting to rangers, who restricted access to the Igloo Canyon area for fear that the bear was wounded and dangerous.



On Saturday, rangers found the dead bear about 100 feet from the shooting site.



Park officials are determining the justification for the shooting. It's legal to carry firearms in that area of the park but illegal to discharge them.



Rangers said it was the first known instance of a grizzly bear being shot by a visitor in the wilderness portion of Denali, formerly called Mount McKinley National Park.





Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100531/ap_on_re_us/us_hiker_kills_grizzly

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I would have done the same thing if the bear was about to attack me.

 

[Kasynlie]

It never says they were threatened by the bear. And even if that's the case, no warning shots were fired in an attempt to scare the bear away.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

no warning shots were fired in an attempt to scare the bear away.

It doesnt say that either.. He could have done that.. You never know.

 

[Jazzy]

A man and woman reported that they were hiking Friday evening when the bear emerged from trailside brush and charged the woman, park spokeswoman Kris Fister said in a statement.

While I'm an animal lover I would have done the same thing if a bear charged at me. I wouldn't have fired a warning shot when being charged. The couple is very lucky they had a firearm as the outcome would have been very different.

 

[Kasynlie]

The lady shouldn't have taken any money with her, then she can't be charged for anything.

 

[The Dragon Master]

There must be some reason why the bear charged. If they were being careful and not disturbing anything then the bear should have left them alone.

 

[Jazzy]

There must be some reason why the bear charged. If they were being careful and not disturbing anything then the bear should have left them alone.

Grizzly bears can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if humans come between a mother and her cubs. Perhaps they either startled the bear or they were in a location where the cubs were.

 

[The Dragon Master]

yeah, so I suppose it wasn't entirelly the bears fault. If the bear had cubs, then the cubs might die

 

[extreme]

If the bear were charging at you would you honestly think to fire warning shots to try and scare the bear? Honestly! If I had a gun and the bear was charging at me the natural thing I would do is shoot at the bear in an attempt to kill it, or at least stop it.