It seems a hiker who was mauled by a brown bear, apparently protecting her cubs, climbed a tree to escape the wrath of the sow. At some point he depended on ski poles to defend himself from the raging sow that seemingly continued to try to get at him while he was up in the tree. Imagine that, going for a hike in Alaska and depending on ski poles for defense against a bear. Me, I would have preferably used a .44 magnum that I would have had strapped to my side (if the right to keep and bear arms was truly honored in this country) or had I not been able to carry a pistol I would have carried a 12 gauge loaded with slugs or a rifle in a good sized caliber. Heck - why not carry both a long gun and a handgun if at liberty to do so.
In this case, somehow, ski poles may have been just enough, if not to keep him from being badly mauled, then to keep him alive. Well, the poles along with him being able to climb a tree and hang on for dear life until help arrived. Luckily he was able to place a 911 call (imagine that - his phone worked) and State Troopers saved the day but that day must have seemed to have taken forever for the hiker. I am truly surprised the bear did not use the ski poles for after dinner toothpicks for her and her cub.
Imagine the terror, being stuck up in a tree, swaying in the wind, bleeding badly from wounds that had been inflicted by a brown bear, trying not to pass out from blood loss while hanging on for dear life and that mad as hell mama bear is still trying to get you to feed to her cub. Now imagine it taking about 2 hours for the police to arrive while all that was going on. Yep, I think I would have chosen a .44 magnum over ski poles any day.
See the story here:
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/12/12185917-alaska-man-mauled-by-bear-climbs-tree-to-escape?lite/
All the best,
Glenn B
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