A disabled veteran Military reservist this week described a harrowing grizzly bear assault he survived by enjoying useless and holding onto his can of bear spray.
Shayne Patrick Burke, 35, known as the assault by the mama grizzly final Sunday the “most violent factor I’ve ever skilled.”
He added in an Instagram publish: “I’ve skilled being shot at, mortared and IED explosions.”
Burke mentioned he was strolling via the woods at Grand Teton Nationwide Park’s Sign Mountain in western Wyoming in an effort to {photograph} a Nice Gray Owl final weekend.
SURPRISE GRIZZLY ATTACK PROMPTS CLOSURE OF A MOUNTAIN IN GRAND TETON
His spouse was ready for him on the parking zone and he was making an attempt to rush again when he had a “actually uncomfortable feeling. I used to be breaking branches, singing and speaking to myself aloud. These are some issues that may assist forestall a ‘shock encounter’ with a brown bear.’”
Then he seen a bear cub in entrance of him. “I knew this wasn’t good,” he wrote, including “I unholstered my bear spray and noticed the mom bear charging. I stood my floor, shouted and tried to deploy the bear spray however as I did she already closed the hole.”
With little time to suppose, he determined to lie on the bottom on his abdomen so the grizzly would assault his again as a substitute of his entrance and interlocked his fingers behind his neck to “defend my vitals.”
He mentioned the bear bit him on the shoulder, legs, buttocks, slammed him to the bottom and stood on his again earlier than going for his neck for a “kill chew.”
“I nonetheless had my fingers interlocked and my arms defending my carotid arteries,” he wrote. “I by no means let go of the bear spray can. As she bit my fingers behind my neck she concurrently bit the bear spray can and it exploded in her mouth. That is what saved my life from the preliminary assault. I heard her run away, I seemed up and immediately ran in the other way up a hill.”
When hurrying again to his spouse, he texted her “attacked” and utilized improvised tourniquets to his legs.
Whereas they waited for assist to reach, he filmed a video saying goodbye to his family members in case the worst occurred. However quickly a helicopter and ambulance arrived and he was taken to a hospital.
“The No. 1 factor that stored me alive throughout the assault was studying and understanding what to do within the occasion of a bear assault and being ready with the bear spray,” he wrote. “Although I’m not positive if I received to spray any on the bear, having it on me and preserving it in my fingers whereas defending my vitals 100% is the one cause I’m telling my story now.”
He additionally thanked the “Jenny Lake Rangers who saved my life.”
He additionally has no ailing will towards the bear, telling the rangers the assault was simply “incorrect place, incorrect time” and the mama bear was merely defending her cub. Park officers have confirmed the bear gained’t be captured or killed, which Burke himself urged.
“The truth is, the second factor I mentioned to the park rangers was please don’t kill the bear, she was defending her cub,” he wrote, including, “I like and respect wildlife.”
“What occurred up on Sign Mountain was a case of incorrect place incorrect time,” he wrote.
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Burke is predicted to make a full restoration.