# Dog intervenes in Grizzly charge



## gonefishn (Jan 28, 2010)

A longtime Alaskan says his dog probably saved his wife's life after a young grizzly bear charged her Sunday night by their home in the Eagle River canyon, near the nature center.

Michael Weiman, 64, scared the bear off with warning shots, then, when it returned, he shot and killed the bear, Anchorage police said.
Weiman said his wife, Marianne Hamilton, was walking their 10-year-old boxer, Mojabe, on an abandoned airstrip that's part of their property on Bear Ridge Circle. It's an area of big lots where homeowners are used to seeing a lot of wildlife, including moose and grizzly bears, he said. They had seen a bigger grizzly earlier in the day on Sunday. 
That evening, they were enjoying the sunshine. Around 9 p.m., Hamilton went to walk the dog. 
"The dog stopped and wheeled around. Marianne turns around, and here comes a bear," Weiman said.
It was on the airstrip, in the open. Its ears were back, and it was coming at her, he said. "She kept remarking about the eyes, the eyes. The eyes were big and coming," Weiman said.
He heard her screaming, grabbed his .44 pistol, ran outside and saw the boxer "intervene and cut the bear off." Hamilton ran behind a pickup truck. The dog chased the bear across the road.
The bear turned toward the dog, and Weiman fired three shots into the ground next to the bear, each one closer, as he tells the story.
"Over the hill it went," he said. But as soon as they all got inside, the bear was back.
"The words I said were 'Hell no,' and I grabbed my .30-30," Weiman said.
He fired. "Very swiftly it was done and I'm not sorry," he said.
He said he's lived in Alaska 41 years, been a hunter all his life, but never hunted bears. He said he's a nature lover. That bear, though, was acting dangerously. The grizzly was young and smallish, maybe 150 pounds, but its claws were 3-inches long and razor sharp. 
He called 911 and Anchorage police officers came to his home and told him what he needed to do. He skinned the bear and will turn the hide in to the state Department of Fish and Game, which auctions the hides of bears killed in defense of life or property.
Residents of the area are used to seeing bears, most of which never cause a problem. Most people carry a gun or pepper spray when they are out walking in the spring and summer, Weiman said. But on Sunday, winds would have whipped spray into the user's eyes and the bear could have attacked, he said.

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Good reason to carry a big pistol. I've never heard of a 240 gr bullet being blown back in the users face.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

The ultimate weapon is a defender, 5 shot with 00 buck in the bush if there's bear's around.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Good reason to carry a big pistol. I've never heard of a 240 gr bullet being blown back in the users face.


 People don't think about the wind when carrying bear spray or even mace for that matter, nine times out of ten It'll backfire on you.


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## ebbs (Feb 7, 2010)

hassell said:


> The ultimate weapon is a defender, 5 shot with 00 buck in the bush if there's bear's around.


I think I'd rather have a big bore bullet every time. I love the "panic" factor of a scatter gun where you don't have to worry about aiming as much, but I worry about knockdown and penetration from buckshot on a bear in self defense situations.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

ebbs said:


> I think I'd rather have a big bore bullet every time. I love the "panic" factor of a scatter gun where you don't have to worry about aiming as much, but I worry about knockdown and penetration from buckshot on a bear in self defense situations.


 I knew this part about types of guns and bears would come up, its been debated for many years, books, mags, newspapers etc., have a good story about this, but I'll put it like this, How Many 00 pellets are in one shell x 5 shells, how many bullets are in your revolver, do the math, especially when your in thick bush, and can only see 5 ft around you, now throw in a 1000# charging Griz. who really isn't happy and is traveling at 40 MPH.


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## ebbs (Feb 7, 2010)

Totally agree with you. BUT if the only way I could hike through bear country is by carrying a scattergun in my hand at the ready at all times I'd probably never go on that hike. While faster and maybe more practical in a pinch if it's between carrying that or not carrying at all I probably wouldn't carry at all.

Same principle goes with concealed carry down here. Not trying to rub in your Dudley Dooright laws up there that make handgun use and ownership a joke, but an argument I like around here in regards to carrying concealed is "the first rule of a gunfight is to bring a gun." Many are discouraged from and never carry because their "favorite" gun or caliber of choice are too large for comfortable EDC (every day carry).

So when I said before "I'd rather have a big bore bullet every time" I wasn't necessarily saying that's the best or most practical way to go, but merely my opinion and preference.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

The only good protection firearm is on that you have in your hand or on you at the time, if you put it down then it is not much good, there is normally time to react of there will be none at all. I have four choices Desert Eagle in .44, Ruger Redhawk in .44, Mossberg 500 with a rifled slug barrel and muzzle brake and folding stock 12 gauge, and my all time most reliable Marlin in 45-70. Most of the time it is the Redhawk with a scope that I carry in an Uncle Mike's Bandolar holstor. Sorry for the bad spelling.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Dudley Dooright laws !! Thats hilarious ebbs.

It's hard to beat a revolver for reliability. It's even harder when it's a Redhawk


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

ebbs said:


> Totally agree with you. BUT if the only way I could hike through bear country is by carrying a scattergun in my hand at the ready at all times I'd probably never go on that hike. While faster and maybe more practical in a pinch if it's between carrying that or not carrying at all I probably wouldn't carry at all.
> 
> Same principle goes with concealed carry down here. Not trying to rub in your Dudley Dooright laws up there that make handgun use and ownership a joke, but an argument I like around here in regards to carrying concealed is "the first rule of a gunfight is to bring a gun." Many are discouraged from and never carry because their "favorite" gun or caliber of choice are too large for comfortable EDC (every day carry).
> 
> So when I said before "I'd rather have a big bore bullet every time" I wasn't necessarily saying that's the best or most practical way to go, but merely my opinion and preference.


 Very true ebbs-- A gun is better than no gun at all, when horse hunting, many a guy I was with packed a 44 for those situations, was on a 2 wk. hike yrs. ago, that took us through the Silver Tip breeding range, packed a 357 which made me feel alot more comfortable, even with the Dudley laws, some guys pack in the back country but just keep quiet about it.


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## ebbs (Feb 7, 2010)

Better to keep quiet and live than to allow yourself to be governed by mediocrity and be dead.

Write THAT down!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Just in our paper today, a guy was riding his bike the other day on one of the dikes that surround farm lands and a designated wildlife area, when he heard this swoosh of air behind him, here comes a Grizzle hot on his tail, grabbed him by the butt, luckily when he landed the bike was on top of him and the grizzle had one front paw on his chest, she turned away when her two cubs came out of the bush onto the dike. He had just a few stitches and bruises. The wardens put up some signs. Now thats one bike ride he won't be forgetting!!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Boy I'll say, he was very lucky. I wonder what the signs say"Do Not Feed The Bears"? Do not become bear food? Ride Faster-Theres A Bear Behind You?


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Boy I'll say, he was very lucky. I wonder what the signs say"Do Not Feed The Bears"? Do not become bear food? Ride Faster-Theres A Bear Behind You?


Maybe, But probably something along this, Make Sure Your Butts Out!!!

The wife was reading it out to me, right away I said theres cubs involved, and sure enough, was surprised in the area, many many yrs. ago you'd hear of the odd Grizzly being seen on the flats, as we call it, the whole area at one time was flooded, in the 40's they built dikes etc. to drain it and made into Ag. farms. Am glad the wardens didn't go shoot them, so many dogooders would want that done just to have a place to ride, forgetting that their in wildlife country?


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

How about " No Butt Peddling In this Area unless You Want It Chewed !!! " On the weapons choices anything is better than none! I know when things go bump in the night and I am woken up and investigate It's my 12 gauge defender I grap. Low light conditions sleepy eyed and with nieghbors all around its my best choice. Dont want shots going through people and into houses outside. Theres is also the 21 foot rule. If an attacker is charging you with a knife and you miss him or do not hit him in a vital area he can be on you within 1 second. Now apply that rule to an upset Bear. I have a CHL and do carry alot of the time. I have both revolvers and semi autos. I love both but prefer a revolver because when I pull the trigger and I here click its not about cocking and injecting another round its pull the trigger again. Thats my 2 cents worth.


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