A hiker in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park was miraculously saved this past week when a grizzly bear accidentally sprayed bear spray on itself!
Shayne Patrick Burke, a disabled Army Reserve veteran, described his encounter with a grizzly bear in Grand Teton National Park as “the most violent” experience of his life. On a hike to photograph owls, Burke spotted a grizzly cub and was soon attacked by its mother.
The 35-year-old man reached for his can of bear spray just moments too late. The grizzly was upon him before he could activate the spray. Still holding onto the bear spray canister, the man played dead, protecting the back of his neck with both hands.
The enraged bear continued its attack and by a stroke of good luck or divine intervention, the grizzly’s jaws clamped down on the bear spray canister, causing it to burst. The bear spray effectively did its job and the bear made a hasty retreat.
The park confirmed the attack was a defensive response from the bear and no further action would be taken against it. Burke, who asked that the bear not be killed, is expected to make a full recovery. He credits his survival to having read about bear attacks and carrying bear spray.
Grand Teton National Park advises visitors to be prepared for bear encounters anywhere in the park.
If you plan to hike this season in areas where bears may be present, you should review the safety tips presented in this video.
And always check with the bear-country national parks where you are headed about their policy regarding bear spray. In some national parks, Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic to name two, it is prohibited, even though there are many bears in both locations.
RELATED
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service urges vigilance as grizzly bears emerge from hibernation
• As grizzly bears begin to emerge from their dens this spring in search of food, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking residents and visitors in grizzly country to “Keep Bears Wild”. The Service reminds the public to remain vigilant and take proactive actions to avoid bear conflicts. Male grizzly bears tend to emerge from their dens in March and April, and females with cubs typically appear in April and May. Read more.
• Carrying bear spray can be a good idea (and could even save your life) but be wary of the consequences.
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Thank you, Gail! 🙂 Poor guy, thankful that he is expected to make a full recovery. Yes, pretty miraculous. 🙏😊 Thanks again and safe travels, Gail! 🙂
Swell!….The bear huggers have wanted to place grizs into my backyard for decades, the north cascades.
They invited us to comment and we did and said no-way!..They did it anyway, now I have to pack heat to just go onto my deck in the mornings.
What a world?
We have black bears-cougars etc. no problem, every Black bear around heads out and says adios, we get along, grizzlies don’t.
Yikes!
Before colonization, the native people lived with all the carnivores including grizzly bears and wolves. Why can’t you?
The natives killed them if they could too. Grizzly’s are perhaps one of the world’s most dangerous predators… they kill A LOT of people when around them. You notice there is a Grizzly bear on the california state flag. Yet no grizzly’s in California… Wonder why? We had to kill them because they were killing too many people. They are truly killing machines.
All those predators were there long before we arrived. It is their home and just as in so many cases we think it is our right to push them out of their homes.
What our “right” is, is to save ourselves any way possible when attacked by any wild animal.
If you are a Bible believing person, you should know God gave man dominion over all animals. Genesis 1:26
Man is so good at making species extinct, it is good to see man trying to preserve a species.
Whoa! That’s the craziest story I’ve heard in a long time. Glad all is OK – including the bear.
Before I read the ending, my guess was that one of the owls he was photographing dive-bombed the grizzly and drove it off. <grin>
The bear isn’t endangered or at any risk of becoming extinct
The choice is do you want to risk going to jail for awhile to save your life or just give in to the commie government officials that wont allow you to defend yourself. I will carry a gun or dont go in bear country