FRENCHTOWN, MONTANA – Police say a Montana woman fended off a bear attack with an unlikely weapon -- a zucchini. Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says a 200-pound (90-kilogram) black bear attacked one of the woman's dogs just after midnight Wednesday on the back porch of her home about 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Missoula. When the woman, whom police did not name, tried to separate the animals, the bear bit her in the leg. Maricelli says the woman reached for the nearest object at hand on the porch's railing -- a large zucchini that she had harvested from her garden. The woman flung the vegetable at the bear, striking it and forcing it to flee. Maricelli says the woman did not need medical attention. Wildlife officials were trying to locate the bear on Thursday.
Just for the record, I don't recommend getting between your pet and a bear. Nor do I suggest using garden vegetables as a weapon of choice when confronted by a bear. Just wanted to make that clear.
True, but when confronted by a bear or cougar the best strategy is to fight back with what ever you have at hand.
ReplyDeleteI moved here from Montana,I was under the assumption that everyone in Montana has guns, but maybe not. Even here I have a gun by the door, this is not that nice of a planet.
And when I'm camping I have a couple of guns with me and often pack one on hikes. If some nut job wants to take me out like one did that lady forest ranger a while back I'll be shooting back if I can.
Sounds like the woman was pretty lucky. Must have really gotten her adrenalin flowing! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteThe gun I pack when camping and hiking isn't much of a gun, it's only good for very close personal protection.
ReplyDeleteIt's a small .25 semi automatic pistol and the neat thing about it is it's size, no bigger than my hand.
It's light and easy to pack, not very powerful, I wouldn't expect it to do much damage past ten feet but it's pretty loud and will spit out 6 bullets as fast as you can pull the trigger.
If a bear or cougar or the occasional bad person out there is right in your face it may be just enough too tip the scales in your favor.
That's a damn site better than trusting a stick or zucchini.
I don't like it anymore than a lot of other folks but the sad fact is that this is not a nice planet in many ways.
And not so sound too gruesome but if you are out there and get hurt really bad and there is no chance of rescue before your demise it can help shorten your suffering.