re: Bear attack- kid jumps on back of bear to save friend

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Were they in the woods unarmed?

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LINK

Erickson said Kendell Cummings and Brady Lowry were the two grapplers injured in the attack. Cummings is from Evanston, while Lowry is from Cedar City, Utah.

He said the injuries suffered were very serious in nature, but both are expected to live. Each wrestler has already received multiple surgeries.

“They’re alive and doing well, for what happened,” Erickson said.

Cummings, a sophomore, was immediately life-flighted to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Montana, while Lowry, also a sophomore, was taken to Cody Regional Health by ambulance. Erickson said after a few hours at Cody Regional, Lowry was also life-flighted to Billings.

Attack Happened During Hike

Erickson said the incident happened while Cummings, Lowry and two other members of the wrestling team were horn hunting in the South Fork outside Cody. He said the foursome had traveled from the school in Powell after a practice.

As the four were hiking down the mountain, Erickson said the group became separated. Without warning, a grizzly jumped out and started attacking Cummings and Lowry.

Erickson said the bear went after Lowry first. That’s when Cummings rushed in and tried to pull the bear off of him. At that point, the bear started attacking Cummings.

Erickson said the attack likely happened in the late afternoon or early evening Saturday, and he received a call about it around 7:30 p.m.

Multiple people reported on social media seeing Park County Search and Rescue and other emergency staff responding to the incident.

Erickson said all four of the college athletes had bear spray with them, but the bear attacked before the pair could deploy their bear spray.

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How It Happened

Lowry, Cummings and teammates Orrin Jackson and August Harrison decided to head up to the South Fork outside Cody to go horn hunting after finishing a Saturday morning wrestling practice. They all brought bear spray, one firearm and experience in the backcountry.

Along with the five or six antlers they collected, Lowry said they also saw copious amounts of bear scat, but no bear.

“If you’re seeing bear tracks, bear tracks on the ground, probably turn around and walk the other way,” Lowry advised.

According to Wyoming Game and Fish, in the last few weeks there has been many reports of bear activity at low elevations throughout the South Fork and North Fork of the Shoshone River, Clarks Fork River and Greybull River drainages.

“In the vicinity where the attack occurred, reports from landowners and hunters indicate there may be six to 10 different bears moving between agricultural fields and low elevation slopes,” Dan Smith, Cody Region wildlife supervisor said in a Monday morning press release. “Game and Fish will continue to monitor bear activity in the area and work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make management decisions in the best interest of public safety.”

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WHAT IS A BEAR BELL?

A bear bell is a small 1.5-inch bell with either a thick velcro strap or a carabiner used for attachment. You can attach it to the outside your backpack, waist belt or any other external piece of gear.

HOW ARE BEAR BELLS DESIGNED TO WORK?

Contrary to popular belief, bear bells are not meant to scare a bear. They are designed to warn a bear (and other animals - cougars, etc) of your presence, so you don't accidentally startle them. It's this surprise meeting between a hiker and a bear that can lead to a tense standoff or, potentially, an attack. As your body moves while hiking, the bell will inevitably jingle loud enough that anyone or anything in the immediate area can hear it.

DO BEAR BELLS ACTUALLY WORK?

People might be comforted by having a bear bell on their pack, but there are arguments made that challenge their effectiveness. Some say they do work; others say they don't work.

--Yes-they-do-work: Supporters of bear bells point to a 1982 study on bear and hiker interactions in Glacier National Park, which found that hikers who wore bear bells were less likely to be charged by a grizzly bear.

--No-they-don't-work: A more recent study by U.S. Geological Survey scientist, Tom Smith, suggests that bears in the wild ignore bear bells, treating them as they would a bird or some other background noise. Therefore, negating the entire purpose of carrying it all.

They-make-things-worse: If bears do hear the bells, some bear experts like Dr. Stephen Herrero believe the bear bells may actually attract bears who are curious about the strange jingling sound.

With conflicting results and opinions, we really don't know for sure if bear bells actually work or not.

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