15-year-old boy fights off bear attack

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-27 04:13am

This kid has big nuts!

15-year-old boy fights off bear attack
April 27, 2004 - 1:54PM

A 15-year-old boy on an Alaskan wilderness expedition fought off a 180 kg brown bear that entered his tent when he was sleeping.

The boy awoke to find the bear sitting at his feet. After trying unsuccessfully to back out of the tent, the boy was bitten in the forearm and decided to fight back, punching the bear with his left hand a half-dozen times, Alaska State Trooper Adam Benson said today.

When the teenager tried to run, the bear bit him again below his ribs, this time leaving a half-dozen puncture wounds on his back, Benson said.

The boy punched the bear again, and again she let him go, but chased him around a nearby stand of trees. He eventually remembered an air horn in his gear, and blew it in the bear's muzzle, waking others in the camp, said Steve Prysunka, director of the six week "Crossing Wilderness Expeditions for Youth" program for emotionally troubled youths.

The bear finally turned and ran after counsellors blasted her with pepper spray and fired a flare at her feet, Prysunka said.

Late on Saturday, following the morning attack, officials found the sow in the campsite area on Deer Island in south-east Alaska and killed her.

The boy was flown to a hospital, where he was treated, then sent home to Barrow to give his wounds time to heal, Prysunka said.

"I think he is the biggest, baddest thing in the woods. He punched the bear," Prysunka said.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2004-04-27 04:16am

This kid will be immune to bullying for sure. What are bullies compared to a bear?

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2004-04-27 04:18am

Tough kid. Lucky, but tough.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-04-27 04:31am

Holy shit! I hope his emotional disturbance isn't aggravated by this experience, but I'm glad he survived and fought the thing off. That was both lucky and good of him. I hope he recovers quickly.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2004-04-27 08:12am

That's awesome! I bet he managed to fend off the bear thanks to his emotional disturbance! That's just so cool! I wish I'd get attacked by a bear

And besides, that bear was small. But the cool thing was that he punched the bear's face off! I bet if he were any older, he would have an article in Maddox's website!

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2004-04-27 08:54am

Whoa... he didn't use a gun?

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2004-04-27 08:59am

Nope. He just scared it off, didn't kill it. And he used one of those horns which give out obnoxiously loud noises.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-04-27 10:38am

Uh, when faced with a bear, aren't you supposed to not move or something?

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2004-04-27 11:11am

There has got to be a cool merit badge for something like that.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-04-27 11:13am

neoolong wrote:Uh, when faced with a bear, aren't you supposed to not move or something?

Probably. But good luck keeping still while a bear sticks his claws into you.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-04-27 11:25am

mind giving the source for that?

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-04-27 12:48pm

BoredShirtless wrote:
neoolong wrote:Uh, when faced with a bear, aren't you supposed to not move or something?
Probably. But good luck keeping still while a bear sticks his claws into you.

According to the article, he wasn't attacked until after he moved.

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-04-27 12:54pm

neoolong wrote:Uh, when faced with a bear, aren't you supposed to not move or something?

Only during the day. At night a bear is out hunting and it will eat you, so fight for your life.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2004-04-27 07:28pm

Comosicus · Post by **Comosicus** » 2004-04-28 03:40am

That's one brave boy. And a lucky one too.

But this fact reminds me of a joke:

At a mountain camp, one kid asks his teacher what should he do if he is attacked by a bear. The teacher says:
"Throw some shit into his face."

"But where would I find shit then?"

"Don't worry, you'll find it very easy. Just check your pants."

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2004-04-28 04:26am

ahh, Alaska where humans are not at the top of the food chain....

mind you despite my right to arm bears leaning, I had nothing to do with this incident, or the polar bear mauling the nuclear sub last year. As for the mauling of the PETA protesters

I plead the fifth....

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-04-28 04:40am

He is a very brave kid. And lucky too.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-04-28 08:43am

poor bear