Black Bear Attacks Hunter In Virginia, Tearing Softball-Sized Chunk From His Leg
BY Herschel Smith
4 years ago
A Virginia hunter was attacked by a black bear, with the animal taking a softball-sized chunk out of his leg.
Ronnie Dalton, 68, from Carroll County had been out hunting on Saturday in Hillsville and was about to pack up for the day when the incident occurred, The Carroll News reported.
Dalton was in his hunting tree stand when he noticed a black bear cub nearby. After scanning the area for the mother and failing to find her, he decided it was safe to climb down.
But when he reached the floor, he spotted her and the animal rushed towards him in an aggressive manner.
“When my feet hit the ground I saw her. She looked up and saw me and when that happened she made a beeline at me as hard as she could come. I tried waving my hand like they say on a black bear, but I guess that doesn’t work if they have cubs and feel threatened,” Dalton told The Carroll News.
Dalton decided in the moment the the best chance of saving himself was to climb back up into the tree stand. But he was not able to escape the bear’s reach.
“I thought maybe I would have a chance. When I tried to climb the tree stand, I got about three or four rungs up and she made a lunge on me and grabbed my right side. She bit me on my right calf and jerked me out of the stand,” he said.
The bear took a softball-sized chunk of Dalton’s leg, and left three or four large teeth marks. It also caused him to fall around 7-8 feet out of the tree, temporarily knocking hum unconscious.
“When I came to and got to my senses and looked, she was already leaving with her two cubs, thank goodness,” Dalton said. “And so then I looked down and saw my britches was tore and my leg gashed open. I said to myself, ‘I have to get out of here.’ I grabbed my bow and took off toward the house.”
Dalton thinks that being knocked out may have actually saved his life, because the bear may have no longer considered him a threat to her cubs.
Bad situation.
Question. Did you have a large bore handgun with you? This could have ended far worse than it did.
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On October 27, 2020 at 10:27 am, Fred said:
Anybody who is 68 and speaks in a manner that includes; “my britches was tore” should know that cubs don’t just exist by themselves in the woods. Also, they should know never to listen to city slickers about bears, or anything else for that matter. Wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care is from a pop music song, it’s not sound advice about bears, especially those with cubs that just got startled.
Here’s something important that you can implement about bears. Why was a bear in that proximity to the hunter? He’s a good hunter, silent, well hidden. When the hunt is over, it’s time to let the wolves, bears, and cats, know you’re there and about to move out. Singing that stupid song as loud as you can will certainly drive them away, far away. Wild animals are smart enough to hate everything Hollywood does, smarter than people it would seem.
Here’s something else, going from blind or tree, to stalking or even just heading out, is a transition zone. Times and places of transition are the most dangerous. That being applicable to other, ahem, situations and not just deer hunting.
Sometimes bears enjoy a friendly wave. Sometimes they move closer for a more personal means of communicating what they are all about. And sometimes they make a point to have a very personal and specific communication with somebody. Bears are like that. They communicate in a variety of ways. Isn’t that nice of them to sometimes take a personal interest?
Some of this is sarcastic, this is not: He’s fortunate to be alive.
On October 27, 2020 at 6:26 pm, Paul B said:
We don’t have bears around here but I still carry when I am bow hunting. There are worse things than bears that can threaten deer hunters.
On October 28, 2020 at 11:57 pm, TheAlaskan said:
I always pack, Because Black Bears Matter.
On November 1, 2020 at 4:39 am, Will Lawrie said:
There’s an old song called “The Carroll County Accident”.
I guess this is better…..