Hi! I'm a freelance writer on assignment for the Casper Star Tribune. Am following up on Wednesday incident when photographer got mauled by griz sow w/cub. Details are still sparse.
Am working on feature about how wildlife photographers use safe procedures in shooting wildlife, especially grizzly bears.
Tips, rules, personal anecdotes welcome.
--Brodie Farquhar
On the foxnews website:
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A park visitor was attacked by a grizzly bear Wednesday and hiked miles to safety with severe facial injuries, park officials said.
The man, in his late 50s, was taking photographs of bears when he was attacked, according to a statement from the park. He told rangers he had been attacked by a sow with a cub.
After the attack, he hiked two to three miles and was discovered by other park visitors around 1 p.m., the statement said. He was hospitalized, but officials declined to release his condition Wednesday evening.
"I was told that the injuries to his face were severe," Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said, adding that the injuries were the type that result from clawing.
Park officials will investigate the attack, Nash said.
Grizzly bears and black bears, including sows with cubs, are active in the spring, Park Service officials said. Park visitors are encouraged to travel in groups, make noise and carry pepper spray.
No human injuries from bears were reported in Yellowstone last year, and only eight minor injuries have been reported since 2000, the Park Service reports. The last bear-caused human fatality in the park was in 1986.
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This is quoted from a visitor to a Glacier website:
"My mom called me this am about the attack as I happen to know the man who was attacked and have even hiked with him in GPN. Unfortunatley, he didn't learn from his first mauling about 15 years ago in Glacier. Although, they can't be sure, that attack happened when the unknowingly woke a grizz sleeping just off the trail. Luckily, bear spray worked in that instance and he was able to hike out 12 miles with scalp injuries and a broken wrist. Many times in the past years he has managed to avoid encounters even though he feels the need to get closer than anyone should be to grizzlies. I know, though, that he would be the first one to defend the bear that mauled him and admit to his own stupidity. He is in very serious if not critical condition, and even though the news did not surprise me,I am just sick about it and he and his family are in my prayers"
"The person I just got off the phone with, said he is heavily sedated and runs the risk of loosing his eye, this is really a bad situation."
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From the above I'd say the photographer was willing to disregard safe distances and encounters hoping he wouldn't end up a statistic. Maybe once too often. ...David
You can use safe procedures while driving to the grocery store and still have an accident. Sounds like this poor guy probably had an accident with a bear instead of a motorist.
I had an encounter some years ago with a black bear in the Oregon coastal mountain range. I was walking up a trail and we saw one another at about the same time. I dropped my camera gear and made a 180 turn moving fast. When I turned my head to see what the bear was doing I saw that he too had made a 180, moving fast and looking over his shoulder to see what I was doing!
I got within 30 feet of huge grizz who was napping down in the middle of a large berry patch , in AK 7 yrs ago. When he awoke and stood up, and we saw him, I was not very happy.
Thankfully, he was much more interested in resuming his berry snacking, than eating me.
And a sow with cubs is an entirely different situation.
This poor guy clearly disregarded the "travel in groups" and "make noise" precautions.
He is collecting grizzly scars. But it IS too bad. He isn't related to a guy named Treadwell, is he?
Sandy
John Wall ... You say, "You can use safe procedures while driving to the grocery store..." But if this guy was real close, then he wasn't using safe procedures," was he? I wouldn't feel sorry for someone who would drive with one foot hanging out of the window, while talking on the cell phone, taking pictures of passing cars.
John Wall ... You say, "You can use safe procedures while driving to the grocery store..." But if this guy was real close, then he wasn't using safe procedures," was he? I wouldn't feel sorry for someone who would drive with one foot hanging out of the window, while talking on the cell phone, taking pictures of passing cars.
Not only that, this is his SECOND incident with a bear (http://www.nps.gov/yell/parknews/0725.htm) what leads me tho think he was not only not "using safe procedures" but that he might have been over confident in his abilities or even reckless.
I hesitate to cast stones without knowing a whole lot more about this and prior incidents. Way, way too many missing details.
Without implying a molecule of defense for the individual, I will say that I live and work in very rural grizzly/brown bear country here in Alaska and black bear country in the Southwest. In both places I've recently seen bears out the windows of our houses, if that gives you any indication of proximity.
I've had some very close calls with bears in both places, but none while lugging cameras. Bears and circumstances are so individualistic that it's very, very hard to draw conclusions based on limited information and even less experience with bears.
I'm going to wait for more information to emerge before passing judgement, all the while following closely to glean lessons for application in my own life.... Whether they be affirmation that idiotic behavior has its price or new insights that help me understand bears just a little bit more.
I am heading to AK to photograph grizzly at the McNeil River Bear Reserve in 4 weeks. My wife was SURE to point out this story to me! We visited Yellowstone/Grand Teton area last year and did get some bear shots.
We let the bears come to us but still stayed a distance away just in case.
I am a very excited about my trip since it took me 6 years of entering to finally win a slot at McNeil but I would by lying if I didn't tell you I was nervous as well. Knowing how close the grizzly are known to come to observers at McNeil I will be in for an "interesting" experience!
You lucky dog! I applied to McN for years and was never drawn. And it's only an hour away! Finally gave up and concentrated on venues close at hand, but McN still attracts me. Actually more because of the opportunity to spend time with staff that knows the bears so well, rather than the bears themselves. Get some great shots, but listen and take notes! That crew has priceless info about bears and bear behaviour.
Wouldn't get me in a fuzzy suit for love nor money!
Posted by philip lewin on June 5, 2007 at 12:54 AM
FYI I was at yellostone the week of the attack. According to the rangers, this guy had been attacked once before by a grizzly (at Glacier National Park). he had received several warnings from Yellowston rangers about violating park rules and approaching wildlife too close, he was actually thrown out of the park once for getting too close to a bear, but fought in court for the right to use the park again. A local photographer told me no one would go out with him anymore becasue of his reputation for "pushing the boundaries" of animal photography. When he was attacked, he was three miles from his car and followed a mother girzzly with cubs. I'm sorry he was injured, but this is a very selfish photographer, who missued the park and endangered the bears (who might have needed to be destroyed but thankfully will not), and takes away from the park experience of every safe visitor there. No photo is worth endangering yourself or your subject, hopefully he learned his lesson but if it were up to me I would ban this idiot from all national parks.
"The person I just got off the phone with, said he is heavily sedated and runs the risk of loosing his eye, this is really a bad situation."
Actually a bad situation for the bear. I really don't care about idiot hikers, just thins the herd. Now other idiot people will blame the bear and try to have her captured.
Discussion
18 repliesAm working on feature about how wildlife photographers use safe procedures in shooting wildlife, especially grizzly bears.
Tips, rules, personal anecdotes welcome.
--Brodie Farquhar
------------------------------
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A park visitor was attacked by a grizzly bear Wednesday and hiked miles to safety with severe facial injuries, park officials said.
The man, in his late 50s, was taking photographs of bears when he was attacked, according to a statement from the park. He told rangers he had been attacked by a sow with a cub.
After the attack, he hiked two to three miles and was discovered by other park visitors around 1 p.m., the statement said. He was hospitalized, but officials declined to release his condition Wednesday evening.
"I was told that the injuries to his face were severe," Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said, adding that the injuries were the type that result from clawing.
Park officials will investigate the attack, Nash said.
Grizzly bears and black bears, including sows with cubs, are active in the spring, Park Service officials said. Park visitors are encouraged to travel in groups, make noise and carry pepper spray.
No human injuries from bears were reported in Yellowstone last year, and only eight minor injuries have been reported since 2000, the Park Service reports. The last bear-caused human fatality in the park was in 1986.
--------------------------------------
This is quoted from a visitor to a Glacier website:
"My mom called me this am about the attack as I happen to know the man who was attacked and have even hiked with him in GPN. Unfortunatley, he didn't learn from his first mauling about 15 years ago in Glacier. Although, they can't be sure, that attack happened when the unknowingly woke a grizz sleeping just off the trail. Luckily, bear spray worked in that instance and he was able to hike out 12 miles with scalp injuries and a broken wrist. Many times in the past years he has managed to avoid encounters even though he feels the need to get closer than anyone should be to grizzlies. I know, though, that he would be the first one to defend the bear that mauled him and admit to his own stupidity. He is in very serious if not critical condition, and even though the news did not surprise me,I am just sick about it and he and his family are in my prayers"
"The person I just got off the phone with, said he is heavily sedated and runs the risk of loosing his eye, this is really a bad situation."
---------------------------------------------
From the above I'd say the photographer was willing to disregard safe distances and encounters hoping he wouldn't end up a statistic. Maybe once too often. ...David
http://www.naturephotographers.net/codeofconduct.html
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=bears.main
http://www.denali.national-park.com/hike.htm#bear
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=planning.kodiakbb
http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/attacks/bear-human_conflicts.htm
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/glacier/visit/visit1_e.asp
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/scarebears.htm
Don't you mean to say how *most* wildlife photographers use safe procedures?
Doyle
Thankfully, he was much more interested in resuming his berry snacking, than eating me.
And a sow with cubs is an entirely different situation.
This poor guy clearly disregarded the "travel in groups" and "make noise" precautions.
He is collecting grizzly scars. But it IS too bad. He isn't related to a guy named Treadwell, is he?
Sandy
Not only that, this is his SECOND incident with a bear (http://www.nps.gov/yell/parknews/0725.htm) what leads me tho think he was not only not "using safe procedures" but that he might have been over confident in his abilities or even reckless.
Without implying a molecule of defense for the individual, I will say that I live and work in very rural grizzly/brown bear country here in Alaska and black bear country in the Southwest. In both places I've recently seen bears out the windows of our houses, if that gives you any indication of proximity.
I've had some very close calls with bears in both places, but none while lugging cameras. Bears and circumstances are so individualistic that it's very, very hard to draw conclusions based on limited information and even less experience with bears.
I'm going to wait for more information to emerge before passing judgement, all the while following closely to glean lessons for application in my own life.... Whether they be affirmation that idiotic behavior has its price or new insights that help me understand bears just a little bit more.
We let the bears come to us but still stayed a distance away just in case.
I am a very excited about my trip since it took me 6 years of entering to finally win a slot at McNeil but I would by lying if I didn't tell you I was nervous as well. Knowing how close the grizzly are known to come to observers at McNeil I will be in for an "interesting" experience!
Don
www.naturewildphotography.com
Looks like he has a new chaper to add.
Good grief, Hank! If you're only an hour away, put on a bear suit and sneak in the back way, for goodness sakes! Anything for the image. Right?
The turf battles I've seen between bears....
Wouldn't get me in a fuzzy suit for love nor money!
Actually a bad situation for the bear. I really don't care about idiot hikers, just thins the herd. Now other idiot people will blame the bear and try to have her captured.