Pa. hunter lives to tell story of attack by bear

[BikeWriter]

Shot four times, 320-pounder claws, bites man before dying in first for state
By Mark Scolforo, Associated Press


HARRISBURG, Pa. — A black bear bit and clawed a hunter who had just shot it four times in what game authorities said appeared to be a first for the state.

Samuel Beauchamp, 47, said he was approaching the downed 320-pound bear in Rothrock State Forest in central Pennsylvania on Monday, the first day of bear-hunting season, when it came after him.

Beauchamp, of Newville, had just shot the bear with a .444-caliber rifle and was within 15 feet of it. He turned to run, but the bear put a claw around his hip and bit him twice, once in each thigh, before dying.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_3254200?rss

And in a possibly related story (Bear with me folks, I can't write shit this funny! ) :

MARLIN RIFLE MODEL 444-S 444 CALIBER. Mfg 1978 with 22"Barrel and sites. Blue grades at 98% and wood grades at 97%. Shot very little.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976261375.htm

[ET Awful]

1. Too bad the description didn't have something like "stock displays

some bite damage" :)

[BikeWriter]

2. ROFLOL! When I saw both stories in conjunction...

I thought, "Used very little? Like it was shot four times?" ROFLOL!

[BreweryYardRat]

3. Hope the wounds fester and kill him.

There is no goddamn need to hunt a bear for sport, or for food, since there are plenty of white-tail deer out there.

Fucker.

[BikeWriter]

4. No need? How about population control?

Would you like them digging in your trash cans at night, or starving and diseased from over population?

[RebelOne]

20. There is no danger of overpopulation. .

People can be educated about not leaving food around for the bears to be attracted to. Just go to the DNR Web sites for the various states and learn the facts.

[BikeWriter]

23. The facts are some of our states have nuisance bears.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearinfo.htm

[TX-RAT]

11. Very strange responce, why?

[RebelOne]

19. I agree, but there is no reason to even kill the whitetail deer

other than for some self-gratifying trophy hunting.

[BreweryYardRat]

21. See, I'm going to disagree with you here.

White-tails really are overpopulated, so I don't have a problem with people going after them for food. Black bears aren't, not to my knowledge. If they do start getting overpopulated eventually, then it's a problem worth addressing, although I'd really prefer to solve the problem without killing them.

Hunting anything for trophies, whether it's deer, bear, or something else entirely, is just sick.

[Shell Beau]

5. I could never bring myself to kill a beautiful bear.

(or deer for that matter). I am glad the man is okay, but the bear was just getting revenge for being shot 4 times! :P

[BikeWriter]

7. Yes'm, he got his licks in! I've eaten...

plenty of venison and killed them for food.

[Shell Beau]

8. My dad is a hunter. I just couldn't personally do it.

I've grown up all of my life with an understanding of hunting. But, I love animals too much to shoot them myself. I am a meat eater so I can't really down anyone who hunts (as long as it is fair and done for the right reasons). But, the bear was just getting a little revenge in!! :)

[Chovexani]

6. Stephen Colbert was right!

BEARS ARE A MENACE. :silly:

[BikeWriter]

9. Grizzlys are humongous. I guess that black one was big enough.

[Shell Beau]

10. We have black bears around my parts in Mississippi.

From what I know about them, they get around 300 or so lbs. I am sure some get bigger.

[BikeWriter]

22. Yes'm, I would imagine some do.

[rug]

12. Today is the first day of hunting season in NE Pennsylvania and

it's a school holiday.

[Kingshakabobo]

13. Go Bears!!!

[puerco-bellies]

14. Won't hunt a bear..

But I have and will again participate in Bear Dance Ceremonies. I prefer to honor, and be healed/protected by them.

[flvegan]

15. I, for one, am sorry the shooter-killer was hurt.

I don't wish anyone to get hurt.

I'm sorrier for the bear, though, who's only fault is just that...being a bear.

When heading out for a shoot 'n kill with such a large animal, I guess some risk comes with the territory. Though it seems getting shot but some idiot is more often the risk.

[Taverner]

16. I have no problem with Bear hunting

and I fully feel sorry for the hunter...but am glad he survived.

Bear hunting is not like other kinds of hunting. Although not a level playing field, very few bears go down in one shot.

(I'm not a hunter, just know a bunch and have heard their stories.)

[Lex]

17. "Although not a level playing field"

Until the bear is also armed with a rifle, it's not a level playing field.

:P

[RebelOne]

18. Kudos for the bear.

Too bad it had to die.