One Of Our Own
Instead of weekend topic suggestions, I’m going to forward this thread through the next few days. HBBers that attended the meet-up in Pasadena may remember meeting Allena. She had a bit of tough luck recently, and this post is here to give posters a chance to ask her about her experiences. First some words from Allena and then thoughts from the poster who goes by Lost in Utah.
ahansen here.
I was trying to start a thread on Building Your Own as an alternative to buying (and paying through the nose for,) a used house of dubious quality-thus avoiding the thorny issue of assuming a mortgage altogether.
My efforts were interrupted a few hours later– as some of you may have heard–by an adolescent ursine thug who apparently viewed me as easier pickings than the deer I had assumed it was stalking up at my spring.
Two weeks post-munch, as the Olympic Games mercifully usurp my long-extended fifteen minutes, Ben has graciously agreed to allow me the contents of a Bits Bucket to answer any and all questions the HBB might wish to throw my way. As I detest the MSM almost as much as I respect thoughtful journalism, it seems only fitting that I “break” my story here, with those whose insights, commentary, and humor have engaged and entertained me through many a late evening hour over the last few years.
A little background:
Since my release from UCLA Medical Center on July 24th, I’ve successfully fended off inquiries by newsghouls of all affiliations, at one point literally running one particularly egregious reporter/cameraman duo off my property at gunpoint.
Stupidly assuming that if I opened up and told all to one reporter the rest would leave me in peace, I ended up pulling a classic punk for all the ByeFL Goth kids trapped out there in videoland. (See: “Schopenhauer. Heisenberg. And all they wanted was ‘Chomp chomp chomp.’”)
(The second paragraph of the transcript pretty much says it all. Not one of the 50 affiliates who re-broadcast this caught on.)
As I attempt to heal, I’ve amused myself by throwing the hypocrisy of the popular “news” mags back in their cheesy money-grubbing faces. (”What do you mean you don’t pay for photographs? Tell that to Angelina’s babies. If TimeWarner gets to make money selling pix of my mangled face, I get to make money selling pix of my mangled face.”) And politely tried to explain to the morning-show booker why I’m less than thrilled at the prospect of –
“We’re gonna FLY you to– NEW YORK!!!” (Um. Yeah. Why don’t you just stick forks into my ears and we’ll call it even….)
After dealing with literally hundreds of these self-important, semi-literate, twelve-sandwich-eating bottom-feeders…one of whom had the gall to crap all over my kid for using (horrors!) HUMOR to thank all the people who saved my life…it seemed only right that I should offer all the gory pix, the grizzly (sorry,) details, and the snide commentary upon the human condition FOR FREE to my favorite online community.
So for as long as Ben sees fit to keep this bucket open, ASK AWAY. I’ll read through it as I can, and answer those of you I recognize and/or whose questions pique me, with whatever wit, clarity, and honesty I can muster. Don’t be shy…you’ll not offend me. My dignity is shot and my privacy lost forever to the vast Maw That Is Google. Nothing you say or ask is going to hurt me, because after all…
I’ve been… (everybody now…) MAULED BY A BEAR! (And I do not mean SKF.)
Peace and Love,
a
Dear HBB friends, one of our own has had an accidental adventure, or a very serious misadventure, if you prefer. On July 22nd, longtime poster Allena Hansen (ahansen) was seriously mauled by a black bear while hiking near her home in the mountains of southern California. The bear attack was unprovoked and with no warning, and Allena’s two brave dogs managed to save her life, at a great cost of injuries to themselves. Allena courageously drove herself several miles for help, and was airlifted to the UCLA hospital in L.A. Her tremendous courage has been an inspiration to all involved.
If you Google her name, you’ll find all kinds of links to the incident. We hope Allena will tell the story herself on this blog soon, but in the meantime, she’s struggling with huge bills for herself and her dogs. She is also scheduled for major future surgeries and unable to work. Her situation is very serious financially.
Ben has generously offered to use his blog as a medium to help. Let’s match Allena’s courage with our generosity. Please send whatever you can to her Paypal account at dvsntt@bnis.net. No amount is too small (or too large). She will be very very grateful. Include an uplifting note with your payment, if you wish, to lift her spirits. Thank you, on Allena’s behalf.
Lost in Utah
Allena,
Gee, I hope that you are able to get through all of your injuries & continue on with your rural hermitage. I cannot help but wonder if the recent fire over by Thompson Canyon had the effect of displacing that bear…since my place is near Walker Basin, I’m wondering if you are on the East side of the Caliente-Bodfish road? I think I’ve seen you in Mike’s Piute Trading Post with your dogs. I’ll leave my number with Mike, if you need help with anything, please don’t even hesitate to give a holler.
Your somewhat sort of fellow neighbor,
Hwy
Before I respond, please, please allow me to thank you, all of you, who’ve sent me encouragement over the last weeks. In particular, Lost In Utah, (who isn’t lost at all,) and the sparkling OuroVerde who has put together a picture gallery of all the gory photographs the MSM has been trying to coerce from me under guise of requests for an “interview” of my “inspirational” story.
http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm1/anngogh/?albumview=slideshow
Let’s face it, people get ruined in vehicle wrecks every hour or every day, but bear maulings? Now THAT’s news!
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=6302040
Highway!
I knew there was something local about you. Curmudgeonly has a way of sneaking up on the reclusive, neh? No, I’ve not been to the trading post, and my dogs don’t leave the ranch, but we are indeed neighbors.
And you’re exactly right in my estimation. 40,000 acres is a LOT of territory for our local bears, mountain lions, deer, snakes, etc to lose with no migration out from the burn area. Of COURSE they’re going to move! More significantly, that’s 40,000 acres LESS range land available for ranchers to graze their cattle upon…meaning they’ll be all over our orchards and fields this summer.
One such person, knowing I was laid up and unable to run them off, already set his herd loose to munch (and plotz their putrid plotzes,) on my berries, fruit trees, and pastureland. For those of you investing in cattle futures, go short for fall.
The wildlife biologist assigned to the fire was quoted as saying displacement of wildlife would not be an issue. I beg to differ. Because of my extensive riding in the Piutes over the last 15 years, I am familiar with several generations of the local bears and their offspring. This one was alone, off its home territory, and hungry. Believe me, I know my property, its denizens, and its surroundings. I’d never seen a sign of this guy before until a couple of days before he got me. As the summer progresses, I can only foresee more of this unfortunate migration of wildlife down into the valley, so watch your six.
As I was speaking to the warden heading up the tracking team searching for the bear who mauled me, he was interrupted by another call from a woman who I could hear saying,
“We got eeem.” He’s under the porch.”
Apparently a 450 pound male was eating dogfood off the porch–a shooting offense in Bodfish. The same day, another was shot near the mouth of Thompson Canyon. I fear that in the next weeks every Keith Urban-with-a-shotgun will descend on our mountains loaded for bear. Already my neighbors tell me they don’t go anywhere without a sidearm. I tell them don’t bother…I was armed. Just make sure that if you’re on foot, your dogs are along.
Let’s keep an eye out for each other, Hwy. This place NEEDS more old coots like us!
“For those of you investing in cattle futures, go short for fall.”
the viceral of the real, as experienced here. The stories continue to unfold. Helluva page turner….
Im glad you OK.
Bear re-location commencing.
RE: Bear Mauling
People underestimate the ferocity and danger of black bears.
They look so cute in the home movies getting into bird-feeders and then scampering up trees when discovered by animal control officials or discouraged by the clanging of pots and pans by a homeowner in an attempt to scare them off.
I remember hearing a story that occurred at one of the national parks in which some idiot attempted to put one of his children on the back of a black bear for a photograph, the attempt aided and abetted by a box of stale donuts.
On a much darker note a pair of middle aged canoeists camping in the Canadian section of the Boundary Waters on the Minnesota border were both killed by a maurauding black bear that rangers never found.
And confrontations will invariable escalate as people continue to push into bear habitat and vice versa as bears will go for the easy food picking in trash barrels and back yard barbeques.
Beware ALL bears!
And God’s Speed in you and your dogs’ recovery, Miss Hansen
I was told that the only difference between this bear attack and most bear attacks was that I survived.
I’ve always nursed a healthy respect for the species, but have never before encountered them as anything other than an occasional nuisance. In my experience, they are pretty enthusiastic about getting out of your way–if indeed you even see them. I’ve had a few trash bins and back packs scavenged, and my orchards raided, but all close encounters have ended if not amicably, at least without mutual harm. This one was different. It had been hunting me, not the deer I’d been seeing around. We tend to forget, BEARS ARE PREDATORS. Stephen Colbert has been warning us for YEARS!
Here’s an article with some really interesting information about California Black Bears. If you’re going to be camping this summer, or live in an interface area, you need to read it:
http://www.kvsun.com/articles/2008/07/29/news/doc488f5ddc5a8de971779394.txt
Thanks for your good thoughts! I am indeed recovering. Literally. Like an upholsterer, only on my face.
RE: BEARS ARE PREDATORS
Yup…
OMG I watched the news story I’m glad you made it and your spirit is still good. Cheers.
I’m very sorry to hear your story, but am glad that you’re recovering and going to eventually be okay.
We’ve had a near-record number of bear maulings this year in Alaska, and no one is really sure why they have been so active and aggressive this year. Mostly grizzly attacks, though. I guess I had always dismissed the black bears, but no longer.
Finally, I wanted to thank you for sharing your misadventure: This year I have been trying to get out more on the hiking trails and probably have put myself in a vulnerable position without realizing it. I appreciate your story and will definitely try to be more careful in my own adventures into the wilderness.
I guess that’s the trick, isn’t it….
How does one enjoy the quietude of the wilderness without making the ultimate contribution to said quietude. I guess cases like mine (a lifetime of tripping through the woods with nary a care,) were why fairy tales were invented. Well, cautionary and to discourage poachers….
It would be interesting to see what percentage of bear attack victims were “loitering” (I.E. camping, working, picnicking, gardening, picking berries,) and which were just passing through on a hike.
arthur dogmeat? You out there?
Hi Allena,
First off, I want to congratulate you for your courage in surviving this horrible incident - bears, media and all. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be despite your fantastically positive attitude and I certainly hope you pull through with the least disruption to your life and family.
Being from the province of Alberta in Canada, and going through the National mountain parks almost every single year on vacation as a child or having friends who would tree plant, we were always warned about the bears. We also have grizzly bears, and I’ve seen them almost every time I’ve been up there. Some tourists take awful risks to photograph wildlife, though I’m frankly surprised that there aren’t more attacks given such brazen ignorance.
But even for those who work in the woods, like tree planters and loggers for entire summers, they’re told there’s still about a 10% chance of a violent and unprovoked encounter with a bear. In fact, all tree planters are advised to keep a fire extinguisher sized pepper spray with them in case an aggressive bear comes at them.
There are a few triggers for bear attacks, and sometimes they aren’t singularly responsible for an attack. Territoriality, perceived threat to their young, sheer surprise, menstrual scent, eye contact, threatening voices, extreme hunger/thirst, dogs, food smell in clothes, and rabies have all been associated with bear attacks on people, though some of these are still debated by scientists. Sometimes a person can take all those precautions and STILL get attacked by a bear.
A friend of an acquaintance who was tree planting in northern British Columbia was out in the woods only a half mile from camp, and a grizzly suddenly charged at him. The pepper spray canister he had sprayed from about 30′ away as the bear ran at him. He emptied nearly the entire fire extinguisher sized canister and the bear DID NOT STOP! This is despite taking precautions to address the factors I mentioned above. He was mauled very badly, lost portions of his face, one arm and part of his leg, but he survived. The bear was found and destroyed because of future danger to people it might encounter, but there was no sign of provocation or young. It just simply attacked.
Sometimes, unfortunately, these things happen no matter what you do. Again, I really admire your courage through this and hope that you can make as much of a positive as possible. Thank you for sharing your experience with people. I’m sure those of us here at HBB who wander into the woods or the urban jungle to take extra care and to remember to appreciate how precious and fragile life really is.
Best,
Mike
Wow! My deepest sympathies and best wishes. As a kid growing up in SoCal I had a few close calls myself while hiking in the sierra. I remember one incident in particular when my sister and I were running down the trail, racing each other when we turned a bend and ran smack into a mommy bear and her two cubs. Its a tossup as to who was more frightened. The cubs or my sister and I but we didn’t stick around long enough to find out.
Please tell us how we can donate to help out with your financial burden.
Mike (bear free in Baltimore)
Sleeper, go to http://www.paypal.com and select the icon at the top that says Personal - Send Money. It will walk you through it, donate the amount to dvsntt@bnis.net. It can be from your credit card or bank account. Paypal is very very secure.
Thanks on Allena’s behalf.
Wow… Here in the suburbs of the eastern US, the only dangerous predators are the 2-legged variety, but bears can be nastier in their own way when they get going.
I pray that you have a speedy recovery, Allena.
Get well soon, ahansen. Good to have you back.
Thanks, Sweet Cheeks.
In truth, I never left ye….
“Tis snide will see me through.
Best,
a
All I can say is that it is very fortunate that bear did not have a gun or a knife. That could have been really dangerous.
I have a question along these lines Allena. Did you have a gun nearby, or do you ever carry one? And would it have made any difference?
After a number of close calls with bears (and people), I wouldn’t consider hiking in the woods without packing heat!
Sadly, national parks don’t allow guns, correct? I remember wanting to do some backcountry camping by myself in Denali when I was in Alaska a few years back, but really wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being alone in grizzly country w/o a shotgun.
My cousin was an archaeologist in Alaska and they all carried rifles, though never needed them. The Griz and the Kodiak aren’t the sort to lay flowers at the feet of visitors.
Sad to say, it’s true. No packing in a national park.
I do long distance back hill running in CA with several mtn lions, bears etc….a gun being to heavy to carry I carry this:
http://www.waspknife.com/index.php
Imagine inflating a basketball inside a bear/lion/thug and you get the idea.
Now THAT is one nasty weapon. I suspect it would have better application as a diving knife than as a terrestial defensive piece. Aside from the time frame I had available to make any defensive move,(IE: none,) had I attempted to get that out of a holster and into the bear during the attack, I, no doubt, would now have a gaping hole in my liver. Also I would be dead.
But rampaging watermelons? Man. They’d better watch the ef out come Labor Day. Thanks for the link!
terrestrial.
Yikes, them are gooood drugs….
Don’t bring a knife to a gun (or bear) fight.
Ben,
Had I unloaded an entire clip into the bear, there was so much momentum it would not have fazed it until its work was done. As it was, I didn’t even have the time to pull the trigger, let alone reach for my sidearm and aim.
Again, only my dogs…and the specific huge breeds of dogs I keep–a mastiff, bred for bear baiting, and a wolfhound, bred for hunting wolves in packs, saved me. Honestly, I’d always expected that a mountain lion was going to get me. Or a rattlesnake.
Your too tough for just one rattlesnake to get ya lady. The way you fight, it would take a whole HERD of them with big sticks
I, on the other hand, DID have a gun and a knife. The match wasn’t even close. Had my dogs not come to the rescue by diverting the attack, bear would have finished me off in another few seconds. I had made my peace as it was….
God what a story. I wish you good healing of both body and heart.
FWIW, you put the fear of god back into me about bears. Any words of how to avoid the such situations would be welcome.
[I've seen black bear + grizzlies in Alaska. Folks tell you to make a bunch of noise to make the black bear go away, but don't do that to the grizzlies or they take it personally and ask you to step outside, as it were. Of course, all these fuzzy guys look the same at 100 years.
So next time I see a black bear, I will make a note to enquire about his rules of engagement because obviously not all of them are playing by the rules.]
whoops: “100 years” = 100 yards.
Convential wisdom, as I understand it, is if a grizzly (brown bear) looks threatening, back away and speak calmly. If it comes after you, play dead. The conventional wisdom for black bears is to act aggressive and hostile if threatened, and to run like hell (usually you can’t outrun them) and/or fight if attacked.
From what I can tell, Allena did the right thing. Some bears (just like some humans) are psychotic and don’t follow the rules. Most “normal” bears will attack if threatened, surprised, or if their kill or cubs are near. Very few attack humans for food, but it obviously happens.
Well, then you are certainly lucky that bear did not have any dogs of its own. That could have been dangerous.
Holy cripes, what a story.
I always thought the Hbbers were made of stronger stuff. Well, everyone, that is, except me.
I’m also glad to see that we can still laugh together at Bye Fl and his ilk.
Get better quickly.
Steve W
Oil city, PA is bear free, from what I gather.
you guys (and gals) are making me bust out laughing. thanks, much needed today.
Allena, you are one funny tough hombre! I bet you & Olygal out in nature would be like two peas in a pod.
best to you/godspeed on the recovery/PLEASE keep writing.
I enjoy yer style & wit.
I don’t know, aquis,
Oly and I in the same STATE might prove too much fabulousness for one planet to absorb.
In a pod?
Depends upon where the launch is headed….
In the years I’ve been reading the HBB, you’re the first “victim” I’ve seen portrayed in this blog who deserves our support and encouragement.
Also, this shows that despite Barack Obama’s candidacy, we’re not in a “post race” America. Everyone was quick to point out that this was a black bear.
“…this was a black bear” lol
Once upon a time…in the lingering winters snows of April…in Glacier National Park…I meet a park ranger at a local diner…after breakfast he took me to a closed off part of the park…there… eating the first blades of spring growing along the melting snow next to the road edge:
“black” bears in about 7 different colors
LOL reuven.
That hurt….
Appropriate your comment, California Black Bears are not generally black. They are, in fact, brown, rust, mottled; a variety of colorations. One particularly venerable individual who lives near the ranch has a white face…as do its offspring.
Sometimes a name is just a name….
A brave, funny, and altogether admirable lady. A model of how to deal with the media bloodsuckers and retain one’s dignity and integrity.
Agreed.
Allena, I’m impressed not only with your incredible resilience, but with your poise in handling of the media. I’d like to think I could manage my person half as well as you have.
Get well
I wholeheartedly concur.
While ahansen may or may not be a paragon of virtue (hmmmm…let’s let HER answer that one - lol), her status as a paragon of the things you mention here does suddenly become obvious, doesn’t it?
Rock on, ahansen. Your ‘nads are needed here on Earth.
I happened upon a couple of cubs years ago in Canada, and before I could back away mom made her appearance…leaping some 20-ft landing between the cubs and I. The cubs ran off, and mom followed. To this day I’ll never forget its stealthy agility and speed.
I don’t post much, Allena, so you probably won’t recognize me, but wanted to say I admire your courage in all this, as well as your unwillingness to go along with the “dog and pony” show that is the MSM. As Sleeper mentioned above, please let us know if there’s a way we can contribute to help out with medical expenses or anything else.
I’m curious what actions your dogs took, as I believe I’ve read conflicting accounts of whether they got involved. If you think the media got it right, just let me know so you don’t have to type it out again.
Jason
See my reply to Sleeper for how to post using Paypal. Thanks!
Thanks, Lost. Yeah, I re-read the original blog post and saw that towards the end. My bad!
Whoops, meant to say how to DONATE using Paypal…
Friends, please please donate, Allena really needs our help, she is facing huge vet bills and reconstructive and dental surgery bills. This bear really did a number on her. And thank you again, Ben, for providing this medium to get the word out.
Thanks, Jason. My Paypal account is dvsntt@bnis.net. I can use anything you care to contribute!
My dogs were sleeping nearby in a mud wallow–as they always do when I’m working on the spring boxes. I stood up and walked a few paces into my blueberry plantings to stretch. Bear had been watching me all morning and was waiting. Nailed me in a flash and went directly for my face and head. At some point I realized I had my thumb in its eye and pushed as hard as I could. The bear let go of my nose and mouth long enough for me to call out to the dogs for help.
I’m not sure whether they knew something was amiss or if they just thought I was engaged in a particularly enthusiastic bout of “King of the Mountain” with a new dog in the ‘hood, but the next thing I knew, the mastiff had gone to ground and the bear was on top gnawing on him. He was screaming so loudly it brought me to my senses, and I thought, “If Deke can make this sacrifice for me, the least I can do is get up and TRY to get away.”
I did get up, and stepped over the bear and the mastiff and started stumbling down the hill. Then I heard the wolfhound crying too. The rest is a blur, but I do recall the wolfhound helping me find my way out of the ravine and back up onto the road. Then he apparently ran back to the attack. I thought both dogs were dead, but they actually escaped with only bite wounds and some bad bruising. Both are healing fine now…playing King of the Mountain with new enthusiasm.
All I need say is “Beaaaaaarrrrrrrr” and they’re off like crazy dogs, rolling, growling, darting, mock savaging each other all over the yards. I used to think their antics, though intense, were kind of cute. Now I know that breeding is not just for phenotype. Those instincts have a purpose!
Now I know that breeding is not just for phenotype. Those instincts have a purpose!
Indeed.
I’m continually gratified that despite all our modern gadgetry, computing power and technological savvy, there are many jobs for which a well-trained, well-bred dog is the best solution.
You’re fortunate to have good examples of each species.
Agreed, ET-Chicago. My well-bred “pit bull” is great at hunting and eating the big texas-sized bugs that I sick her on
While I program computers for a living, I still haven’t figured out how to get one to kill them for me….
Remember, as soon as you teach the computers to kill… they turn on you.
Wow ahansen . Your account of the story is so clear . I’m so impressed how you kept your wits about you and I always knew you were smart by your posts ,but your smart actions saved your life ,
along with your outstanding dogs . Amazing story .
I remember seeing scores of black bears when visiting Northern Michigan. Never saw them as cute or friendly.
Here’s to a speedy recovery.
I wish you a full and speedy recovery! Take good care of yourself and your dogs.
Allena; when can we see the photos?
Have you heard from any other bear attack victims?
If the answer is no is that because there are none?
Black bear attacks are becoming increasingly common in states that have outlawed hunting. The more acclimated and aggressive bears are sort of naturally deselected during hunting seasons.
Historically, black bear attacks have been rare - not non existant. They’re quite dangerous.
How many people have been mauled by a bear and survived? If allena ran the bear would have finished her off.
I think the dog story is cool. What exactly did they do to help you get free?
Ouro, beautiful Ouro. If they’re not up, please post them forthwith!
You did an amazing job getting these compiled, edited and posted on majorly short notice. You are my angel!
For everyone whose inquiring mind wants to know…enjoy! The MSM won’t get a penny off of these.
http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm1/anngogh/?albumview=slideshow
Allena,
Everyone posting before me seems to be primarily well wishing. Please be assured that I, too, wish you all the best and safe and swift healing. But, since you invited questions, allow me to do my best public radio/TV interviewer:
So, now that you have, in fact, actually lived through the experience of William Shakespeare’s most famous stage direction, perhaps the most famous stage direction of all times, “Exit, pursued by a bear,” do you feel you have any special insights to offer into that most enigmatic of plays, “The Winter’s Tale”? What about the authorship issue? Do you believe that Shakespeare wrote the plays attributed to him? How has your experience influenced your opinion? Please be assured that we are delighted you did not encounter the same fate as befell Antigonus when he was pursued by a bear.
Not such a bad Charlie Rose immitation, no?
Seriously Allena, if you want to find another place to tell the story you want to tell, you might contact the people who do the NPR “On the Media” show. I never worked on that one, but I did know a few of them when I volunteered at another WNYC show. If you tell them you would like to talk exclusively about how the media treated you right after your experience, I bet they would accomodate you. And no ghouls with cameras - it is radio! We did interviews over the phone all the time.
Waall now, Cholly,
While various stylistic inconsistencies tend to suggest some of the folio may have been, much like your Western Bible, um, anthologized, you DO concede we’re dealing with an anachronism here? As you rightly point out, bears in the literature have been eating human beings for millennia. No, no, my good fellow. MY work is merely derivative…standing on the shoulders of giants and all that….
Very good, Polly! Always love your posts.
Since Gwen Ifill doesn’t DO bear maulings, there is only one show for me. As I said when I came out of surgery, it was my distinct honor as a concerned American– to take one for Stephen Colbert.
If I made you smile, even a little bit, I succeded in all my aspirations.
Might have an issue with Colbert, though. He favors wrist injuries….
“only does wrist injuries…”
A good point.
Oh very well. The hell with him.
OK, lets see if you can guess this one:
So, you were out on your property. Attacked by a bear that had been stalking you for most of the morning. Saved moments before…well…death by your dogs. You barely managed to get away with your life and get to help. You face quite a few more surgeries and a long recovery….so….how does that make you feel?
Yup. Got it in one. This is Allena’s interview question with Terry Gross of Fresh Air.
lol. I hear her voice as I read your prose.
“How does this make you feel?”
Well, Terry, it makes me feel like singing! Free! Soaring!
Never again will I have to look in a mirror and confront my features wrinkling into a withered lump before my very eyes. I’ll never know the slow mounting horror of watching my beauty fade as age takes its inexorable toll. You see, Terry, it’s already over! Done. In one splendid swoop!
I’ll never again have to worry about smudged makeup, or bad hair days, or unevenly groomed eyebrows. Come Hallowe’en I’ve a ready-made costume with a built-in back story…what a boon on those busy party nights!
While other woman my age fret over how to pay for collagen injections and chemical peels, I am relieved of even having to make the effort to stay “youthful” or “pretty.” And best of all, Terry, I’ll never again have to wonder if someone is interested in me only for my looks, or if they’re just pretending because they want to get into my superannuated pants. I won’t have to endure the resentment and hatred of women who think I’m after their husbands, or the resentment and hatred of their husbands because I am not.
The odds are that this about the worst I’m ever going to appear in my life, and that as I age and the scars fade, my look will only get softer. I’m already ugly, disfigured, hardened, and the people and creatures who love me couldn’t care less…you see, my face was eaten by a bear.
So. Terry. What’s YOUR excuse?
Amazing. I think Colbert will finally meet his match…
So thrilled you are alive and recovering well.
“So, Terry, whats your excuse?”
Humor has always held me in good stead when things got weird.
First time back in 3 weeks and this is first blog to read. I am so glad you are here. Between tears of relief for you and us ( menopaws hahaha) And here I was “worrying” about what to wear, how fat I will look etc to all past classmates at my reunion coming up…your outlook has got me back to my “roots” in a flash!
I am glad your dogs have revived and instinctually protected you. Stephen Colbert would do well to have you on his show! Let us all know when that date occurs!
I wonder if the non-MSM, the papers like the National Enquirer that abashedly pay for news and photos, will compensate you justly for “exclusive rights” to your story….
That should have been unabashedly
Well, Reuven, it’s still early in California, but when Allena comes online, she can tell a story or two about said compensation…
BWAHAHAHAH!
Ouro beat them to it. Read the text of the last slide in the slide show for my opinion on THAT little rite of Americana.
I’ve always been an open-source/linux sorta gal. How communist of me.
Penguins don’t have teeth.
Allena,
I’m sooo glad that you okay, so positive and are recovering considering the extreme trauma that you went through. It will take time both emotionally and physically.
My entire family is from high density black bear and wolf country near the Boundry Waters Canoe Area Ely, Mn. and I have always worried about them hiking, berry picking and camping. We had all had some very close encounters but fortuately, nothing like the awful experience you survived.
Like you, we always have the labs or retrievers in the woods with us and close by at the house. Thank God that you had those wonderful dogs with you. I think of all the times our family dogs have warned us or put themselves between us and the bears until we were fortunately able to back off.
Your personal courage and your dogs love and scarifice is beyond remarkable…you and your faithful campanions are truly amazing
Rest, recover and keep that wonderful Faith in yourself, your doctors, family and friends…it WILL get better
Hugs …mikey
I
Thanks, Mikey. I needed that.
I’ve been reading this blog for over a year.
Lately I haven’t been watching much television but I did catch your interview. I thought how calm and collected you were during the interview, how you described the attack, knowing what was ‘going’ as the bear mauled you. I was thankful you and your dogs made it. Bears tend not to like humans - some theorize it’s how we smell - but when they decide to attack you, you are lucky to survive.
ahansen, I cringe at ‘icky’ pictures. I am sure there is much surgery/reconstruction to be done, but I was surprised at how intact you were, facially at least. I’ve seen other interviews by people who have survived bear attacks, and even after surgery, the attack is still so evident. I also remember one by a hunter who said his mistake was not following the rules of bear hunting. Never hunt alone, especially at dusk. He got separated from his party, had the appropriate gun, was aware of bears being in the woods, and was still was taken by surprise at an attack.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
That my face and head functions are still intact is testimony to the courage and skill of Kimberley J. Lee, MD., the UCLA head and neck surgeon who put the Humpty Dumpty roadmap they brought in to her back together again. This remarkable young woman, along with nearly 100 (!) others, came together as a perfectly-functioning team to save the life of one anonymous human being–me. THAT’s humbling.
Now, the HBB community has come together to help me reconstruct the shreds of my (dubious) sanity. Again, I am dumbfounded at the kindness and support you’ve all shown me here. Can you think of any other instance in which we were all on the same page…so to speak? I can’t.
Thank you all so much! (sniff.)
a
Allena,
I’m so glad you lived to tell this tale. I hope to see more of your witty postings soon on this esteemed blog.
I do have a few questions for you gal.
How is your son doing?
Do you need to worry about rabies?
Besides your son, do you have family, friends that can help you out with any of your daily needs (grocery shopping, house cleaning etc.)?
I wish you, your son and your dogs a speedy and healthy recovery.
Take care Allena
Son has been a champ, going through his own crisis of identity…(”Now I’ll forever be known as “Son of Bear Victim.’”)
I’m so lucky to have him around this summer. We’re using the time to be ironic, write and critique each other’s stuff, have some great conversations, crack really really dark jokes at each other’s expense, just be glad we have each other in time of need.
I am currently in the fourth round of six rabies shots. Bear-to-human transmission is not recorded, but the animal’s behavior was so anomalous, I’m willing to err on the side of caution. On the other hand, I would sooooooo like to make a list.
“Hi. Remember me…?”
Dogs, as noted above, are nearly fully recovered, inordinately proud of themselves, and enjoying their usual ridiculous amount of spoilage.
Oh. And now, they HATE bears.
I had the pleasure of having a rabies series. I hope you have good insurance. That costs about $7000 for that series. Good luck on your recovery.
Glad to hear you are recovering. Best wishes for you and your dogs.
Allena,
i do not want to draw attention away from what happened to you, but i can tell you from first hand experience that i know exactly what you went through. i was attacked by 5 pitbull’s in 1989 and it was only by the grace of god that i survived. i dident feel a thing while it is was happening, i only felt the first bite. the body does heal but it is the emotional trauma that will be the toughest to get through. the best advise i can offer you at this time is to stay strong and seek help with the fear that overwhelms you at times. a doctor i saw sometime after my attack suggested i go to the local shelter to overcome my fear of dogs and it helped quite a bit. i would suggest to you that after you recover from your wounds to go to our local CALM zoo. i havent been there in awhile but i would think that they would still have the bears and you can get quite close to the cages. i will add your name to the prayer list at my church and i hope you get through this as well as i got through my aftermath.
Thank you so much, takingbets.
I have had a few rather startling PTSD events, (toothy bear totems in the oak trees, stuff like that,) but basically just see this as one more round of paying dues for the experience of being alive on planet earth. Also one damned good after-dinner story!
I’m not afraid any more than I was, but I’ll probably never enjoy that sense of true peace I used to get just sitting on the dirt in the middle of a forest watching the water run.
Pit bulls would seem to me to be a far worse experience to have to endure. For one thing, there’s the sense of betrayal. I had no particular love of bears, but dogs? I trust them. And five? That’s just not fair. It’s like being jumped by a gang. At least I only had to fend off one set of fangs. The combined energy of that much fury would likely have discouraged me so much I wouldn’t have tried to get away. You can ignore one critic. But five? There’s something almost editorial about an attack like that.
I’m encouraged to hear that you have found some sense of perspective from this horrific experience. I hope I have that much courage and forgiveness left in me….
As for CALM. It breaks my heart. The eagle. The old mountain lion. Their eyes are so haunted. They will never have the peace we’ve found. Love the digs, though. Kern Kounty is still such a vastly unexplored prehistoric locale.
Thank you for sharing this with me. Hang in there!
Just curious, is there a way to make a contribution other than PayPal? If you don’t have a PayPal account can you still chip in by dropping a check in the mail to regular account?
Thanks in advance and get better soon!
You can go on paypal and pay with CC.
Thanks, DinOR. I’d kinda like to preserve what small privacy I have left, so would rather not give out an address, but I do really appreciate the thought.
You might want to consider making a contribution to Mercy Airlift International. It’s a volunteer group of Emergency docs, pilots, humanitarians who save the sorry arses of folks like me that get themselves stuck in the middle of east nowhere. Their website is:
mercyairlift.org.
And I’ll bet you THEY take checks.
Oh it wasn’t intended to subject you to any more prying than you already have. I just recall in instances like this often an account will be set up at a local bank FBO ( For the Benefit Of ) so the bank protects donors privacy and the beneficiary as well. Had you considered that as well? Many thanks again,
DinOR
I’m not sure if this is helpful, but this is kind of similar to this incident [Yahoo News] in which a woman in British Columbia was attacked by a black bear while gardening in her front yard. My family has also had close calls with black bears in New Hampshire and had to stop feeding birds seed because of that. Nature seekers who have settled in forested areas could be in for a shock over this kind of thing.
There are some bear safety tips that may or may not be helpful that seem to mostly consist of playing dead, getting and staying down, remaining limp, and keeping eyes closed. Apparently dead things are a big turn off to bears unless they are tasty and human meat smells and tastes bad to most animals. My summary might be off, so look this stuff up to be sure.
On a different subject, as far as building your own goes one helpful resource is The Well Built House by James Locke which goes into some detail, but also talks in general terms about the whole process. The tone is conversational, years of experience are brought to bear, and many specific examples get discussed.
I always smirk when I read about wearing “bear bells.”
COME AND GET IIIIIIITTTTT!!!!
In retrospect, if attacked, playing dead is truly the only option. And not all that hard to pull off, I might add.
Being in the (active, not sleeping,) company of other, larger FRIENDLY creatures like horses, enormous dogs, or armed Fish and Game Wardens is also a helpful preventive.
Getting my thumb in the bear’s eyeball was a fluke, but once I realized I had that small advantage, the terms of the attack shifted…and that made all the difference in my will to survive it.
Many of you have probably heard this one before, but one of the rangers at Glacier National Park told me this gem:
How do you tell the scat from a black bear vs a grizzly bear?
The Grizzly bear scat has bells in it…
….And smells like pepper spray!!
Right now, I’m reading Lynn Underwood’s book, Homebuilding Debt-Free. Don’t know if it’s still in print. I bought it at his book signing back in ‘02.
Good book, BTW.
Allena,
I’m a gun expert. It seems to me that you discount too much the ability of your gun to ward off the attack, but I can assure you that your sidearm will kill all species of reporter (LOL). Also, if the reporters keep calling, instruct your son to say (with complete deadpan seriousness) that while Mom is not available, the bear has scheduled a press conference.
Laughter is the best medicine.
LOL Treed. (Sure wish I had been…)
Funny you should mention this.
After telling news teams in no uncertain terms that I was NOT available for interviews, and that no, they were NOT to contact me in any way, one intrepid TV camera/reporter duo drove all the way up here into the mountains, found my ranch, climbed over TWO sets of locked gates on my private roads, past the numerous posted no trespassing signs, hiked a half-mile up my dirt drive to the house, unclipped and entered the perimeter fencing, made their way through the dog run, and cornered me (half nekkid–it was 105 out that afternoon,) on my screen porch.
“We want to talk to you about the bear attack.”
I calmly stumbled into the house, picked up the nearest 30 06 and with a string of my patented profanity that impressed even my kid and his visiting friend, RAN THEM OFF AT GUN POINT.
Now here’s the funny part.
They went straight back to their rodent burrow in Bakersplat and cried to the general manager of K___ who called the KC Sheriff and tried to FILE A COMPLAINT against me!
Of course, the Sheriff’s Dept. (who themselves are getting pretty sick of the intrusive press coverage this attack has engendered,) laffed in their face, but the incensed GM then called the Sheriff’s DISPATCH and made the truly stoopid mistake of being “verbally abusive” to the poor receptionist who answered the call. (Apparently forgetting that all calls to dispatch are recorded.) Ouch.
I told our local sheriff to PLEASE go ahead and file charges–just so I could go to court on this one and call the local media to cover it. Were I in a position to afford it, the irony alone would be worth the cost of defending myself. Can you just imagine the squirming and self-justification as they devoured one of their own before a national audience?
T’would be Edward R. Murrow’s wetdream.
Allena,
Just saw your two picture of you with your two BIG dogs stting on the bench. They are really great…and BIG!
Forget the running into hungry little black bears…you should WORRY about running out of DOG FOOD !
And the checkers at the Vons market in the ‘Splat always wondered why such a tiny little woman would need all that meat….
The Hero Dogs were spoilt rotten before this happened. Now I fear they may become insufferable. Fortunately for me, they both adore used pasta, stale bread, vegetable parings, fruit and berries stolen from the orchards, leftover anything, eggs from the hens, insects (including wasps and yellow jackets,) and copious amounts of digested hay left about for them by my thoughtful horses. If starving, they’d probably hold off eating my carcass for oh, four or five days at least. Now the cats? I’m not so sure….
Even if the sheriff was willing to file charges at your urging, I doubt a local prosecutor would take it to the next level. Prosecutors do have an ethical obligation not to prosecute when they can’t find a crime. Some of them even take that obligation seriously. They also try to protect their win/loss ratios, which may be a bigger motivator.
The real fun would come with a tort suit. And the lawyers in town and all over the state, probably, would line up to defend it for free. Still a waste of your time and energy.
Speaking of humor, first post didn’t go through.
Short version of post
1=glad you are alive and sharing your fabulous wit and wisdom with us all!!!
2= “So, Terry, whats your excuse?” was great
3- Stephen Colbert would be glad to have you on his show, let us know when.
And now, since humor has gotten you ( me ) through this and so many things…
The thought came to me when Talking bets- so glad you are alive and recovering!= suggested that going to the local shelters would assuage ones PTSD,eventually, I thought of you going to Russia and visiting all those dancing bear circuses. Well I have a sometimes macabre sense of humor. But if you want to go to Russia, let me know, maybe I can get you on a plane there.
SMILE! So glad you are as terrific as you are.
And here I was, “worrying” about my reunion coming up, will I look to fat, will I be measure up!… who cares, we are all alive, well enough, and still have lots and lots of humor!
ahansen,
Glad you’re still around!! Your courage is amazing.
I’m relieved to hear that your dogs are still with you too, watching over you. I’d LOVE to see a picture of your two brave bodyguards! As for the media trying to profit from images of your injuries, that’s just sick. I’m so sorry to hear what you have been trying to deal with, on top of your recovery. I hope you will be feeling better quickly.
I had my own run in with CA. black bears just a couple of weeks ago (mom and baby). We went our separate ways, but that was scary enough for me. I’ve seen plenty of them in the past and I’m still afraid when I see one.
May I ask if you have any specific needs in your situation beyond money for paying the bills?
Hang in there. May you find the help and the healing that you need to get you through this. My thoughts and best wishes to you and your family.
-SD_suntaxed
Hey, thanks Suntaxed.
Photos of both doggies and injuries are posted on Ouro’s photobucket:
http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm1/anngogh/?albumview=slideshow
As to what else I could use, if HBBers could start linking the gallery to Google, it would be delicious Schaudenfreude to imagine the gnashing of teeth at various MSM outlets over being “scooped” by a blog. And for free, at that!
” I’ve seen plenty of them in the past and I’m still afraid when I see one.”
That’s the prime reason on a camping trip that you always take along someone you can out run. Bears are a little unnerving in that not only can they out run humans, but they can also out climb us.
I used to say something similar when I used to spear
fish a lot.
If a shark appeared, you didn’t have to swim fast,
just faster than your buddy.
Hang in there Ahansen. You seem especially
equipped to handle an event like this. I’ll send you
a little something via pay-pal.
To put things in perspective.
I went to one of my old diving buddy’s funeral
service last night. Knew him for 25 years. Dead at
51. I still get choked up everytime I think about it,
like right now.
So you see, it could be a lot worse.
I bet you’ll have an even greater appreciation for
life after this episode.
Hang in there,
Mike
Spring box, check.
Socal mountains, check.
Greater fear of snakes and cougars, check.
Ranching in wild country, check.
It sounds like I’m due for an attack. Funny thing is the last bear I saw was coming off the golf course past my house in CC in Palmdale. No, he wasn’t a stock broker.
HAH!
I just KNOW there’s a tie-in to Marketwatch here somewhere….
One of the more interesting things I’ve learned since the attack is that the region of California with the highest number of human/bear encounters is not Yosemite, not even in North Calif. It’s…Monrovia!
Now THAT’s scary.
You want a marketwatch tie-in?
On my drive home today it occurred to me that the rally today on wall street might have been due to the bears all being tied up here, interested in the (mis)adventures of one of their own.
ahansen,
any chance of you posting a few pics of your dogs? i would love to see them.
…and not the gory ones. pre-bear mauling would be nice.
My eyeballs are giving out, guys. And I need to take care of some chores.
Thanks for all these great comments and thoughtful questions. This is SO MUCH MORE FUN than sitting for a TV crew talking about the sound my skull made when the bear bit through it!
I’ll check back in in a few hours…hold the fort for me, okay?
Love you all…thanks, Ben! Lostie! Ouro!
latah.
Ahansen - The quality I admire most in people is bravery, perhaps because I find myself falling short of it often. I don’t think getting your thumb in the bear’s eyeball nor your survival was a fluke. Many would name honesty or self-discipline, but for me bravery is the supreme quality.
Sorry, my first post seems to have slipped away into the ether. Apols if this is a double post
Oh. My. G*d - ahansen!
I watched your interview on cable TV a few days ago, and didn’t even know you were an HBBer!
I do remember thinking ‘wow, what an amazing woman..I really don’t know if I’d be that composed after that…’ and winced at the popping eye bit.
So glad to hear you’re on the mend, and that your dogs came out of it alive.
Best wishes and healing thoughts to all three of you.
I don’y know what constitutes the right mix of empathy and congratulation on this, Allena - but I am struck low by what you had to go through, and yet elated that you pulled through it with all of your wit and verve intact.
Maybe the folks at Outside magazine would be good to talk to about the experience itself, and your parlays with the media after it.
This city/suburb boy suspects wouldn’t last a week in your neck of the woods - and I admire and envy people like you who can live close to nature, for better and occasionally worse. Good luck and God bless.
Allena–what happened? How close was the bear when you first saw it? Was it charging? Media reports on this incident were so sketchy they were meaningless.
One of your posts (8-9-08 9:15:46) says the “bear had been watching me all morning and was waiting.” How do you know the bear had been watching–did you see it, or what? What was the bear “waiting” for? To attack you? If you knew the bear was there and waiting to attack you, why did you decide to stay in the area and keep working?
Not sure if this is troll material but hey.
The bear was about ten feet away when I first saw it.
It was not charging, it was semi-crouched. From eye contact to down on the ground being chewed=< one second.
I knew there was a new bear in the area because I’d smelled scat the day before and seen a footprint in the mudflat–apparently following a deer. It had obviously been watching me because I’d been there working 20 feet away all morning and did not hear or see it coming into the area…nor did my dogs. It couldn’t NOT have heard and seen us.
As I’d mentioned before, I frequently see /am aware of bears in the areas where I live and work, but erroneously assumed they were, if not benign, at least not inclined to attack human beings closely accompanied by large dogs and a variety of working power tools. As I’d been up at the spring pretty much daily for much of the last couple of weeks, I (again, erroneously,) did not think I’d been targeted as someone’s lunch. I was wrong.
Allena–just trying to put things together and sort out the details. No mention of power tools in your other posts. And you did mention that your dogs were sleeping nearby in a mud wallow. A bear might not notice your sleeping dogs. And a bear might not notice you quietly working on blueberry plantings. So it seemed like a bear charging you due to a surprise encounter was as much a possibility as a bear attempting to prey on you.
Black bears and grizzly bears do prey on people. Barroom biologists hype the idea that black bears are more predatory toward people than grizzlies. Not true, but this fallacy has people thinking every black bear they encounter is looking at them funny and thinking of making a meal of them.
I don’t know who Steven Colbert is, but Stephen Herrero, author of Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance, has published a paper In “Ursus” on bear attacks in British Columbia to refute the notion that black bears are more likely to prey on people than grizzlies. Ursus is the quarterly publication of the International Association for Bear Research and Management.
Thanks for this info, Arthur.
As my neighbors can attest, I’ve long been an advocate for a laissez-faire approach to the local bears. I’ve not been popular for defending them or insisting that they were, in my experience, scavengers more than predators. The old-timers knew what they were talking about.
I’d hoped to keep this out of the press so the vigilante forces did not feel compelled to massacre uninvolved creatures I consider, if not first-name-basis friends, at least legitimate neighbors.
Unfortunately, the sensationalist nature of the incident precipitated the very response I was trying to avoid. BUT. This was a bad bear. It could just as easily, (more easily, actually,) snagged a little kid on the way to school.
This bear was not surprised. It was not defending cubs or territory. It did not hesitate, it didn’t make a token charge or even grunt at me. It didn’t start, or stiffen, or look for an escape route. I have often surprised bears on the trail, and this reaction was nothing like those encounters. The bear was direct, purposeful, and unhesitant. It went straight for my face, my carotid, my femoral, and my heart. It did not let up until the dogs showed up, nor did it run off when they did.
It stationed itself on the periphery of a clearing not more than 30 feet from where I had been working all morning…indeed all week. I was in its line of sight. I made a LOT of noise, as did my dogs…nosing around, digging nests in the wallow, snuffling and stomping in the brush next to the spring. I have not the slightest doubt that it stalked me and when the opportunity presented itself, attacked with the intent of making a kill. Thank goodness it got me and not some little child who wouldn’t have had the mental toughness to survive the attack. It’s still out there, and next time it pulls this, it will likely be a year older and a hundred pounds heavier. NOT something I wish to confront…. You?
The ethical considerations here are troublesome. I am giving them a lot of thought and welcome any input from the blog. Thanks.
There are many who put more value on animal and plant life than they due the human variety, though they generally won’t admit to it. I must say I sometimes find myself understanding of if not agreeing with their position.
I will say though that despite the animal being an innocent in that it can’t distinguish morality or right vs. wrong it must be destroyed if found. I will always value human life and especially innocent human life over the “lesser” species. I come to this conclusion initially due to a belief in a higher power and the plan of salvation. I ultimately conclude the same thing on a intellectual level. If I’m wrong on this point then we may as well take civilization back to the most basic tribal unit and live essentially in anarchy, survival of the fittest, etc. and forget about Mozart, Miles Davis, and Cameo.
I am sorry for your ordeal but your resilience is inspiring.
Your comments reminded me of a national park exhibit at one of Alaska’s many Glaciers. In summary, Black bears are less likely to attack but more likely to FEED on you if they do as comparedr. If it stalked you, your instincts to fight were correct.
Now it has been well documented that reporters will attack and feed on things that no other animal on the food chain will touch. Your encounter with this lowest form of life was potentially more destructive than an bear trying to feed. I hope there will soon be a hunting season on these low lifes.
I remember thinking the other fishermen in Alaska’s Russian river were nuts for carrying their shotguns while fly fishing (any reason to play with guns boys!). I had visions of somebody slipping on rocks and my head getting blown off so I moved up river away from the “cowboys”. Then while I was focused on my ineptitude in landing a salmon, Momma grizzly and her 2 cubs walked up behind me– about 30 feet away. This was a moment of clarity.
Moment of clarity… LOL
It is amazing how quickly a lifelong gun-control advocate can do an about face when confronted with the realities of life without 911.
My own came with the discovery of a nest of rattlesnakes in my well pump house. That and the time I awoke to find a lynx carrying off the mini wirehaired wienerdog…who was so viscerally offended at the idea of a CAT nailing HIM that he ended up barking non-stop for several days thereafter. But that’s a wiener dog for you.
ahansen,
I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. When we were small girls, we’d roam the fields and woods happily. Once my father snuck up on us and made bear noises and we screamed, but we knew that it was just a joke because bears didn’t exist to us. Now, I have children and we no longer roam the woods. We don’t stray from our vehicle that we drive through the fields to visit the woods. We feel threatened by the presence of bears. My father saw the first bear on his farm that he’d ever seen in his lifetime when he was well over 40 years of age. It’s a century farm and bears had never been spotted there until about 15 years ago.
I’m ready to stand up and say that living with large wild predators isn’t progress for humanity. I don’t believe the group-think (I heard it today from a woman who found a bear snacking out of her trash can in a suburb). She said “we’re encroaching on their territory”. But there haven’t been this many bears in this county in Virginia since the Civil War. A good deal can be said for the simple lack of hunting, in my opinion.
Hi Allena,
Very fortunate that Your dogs saved your life. I normally don’t post often on Ben as i used too thou i have been with him on this blog for 3 years but your story has captured my attention. I was formerly a hard core Sierra backpacker and camper and have seen plenty of bears thou never been attacked. Have great respect for them and always keep my distance and a big heavy hiking stick on hand for close encounters. Very very unusual for bears to stalk humans - i always thought that campground roaming bears were just garbage and pit scavengers. Seen tons of them roaming all over the sequoia parks sifting thru campsites and they are indeed bold and will go right onto a site even as campers are eating there dinner.
I had one close encounter when i was deep in backcountry(1992 at Wallace Creek near Mt Whitney), when in middle of night one bear and a cub was checking out my empty backpack while i was in my tent about 5 feet away. I gave a loud yell and startled it and it took off but it could have easily charged me and i would have been a dead duck as i was alone deep in backcounty with no nearby ranger or other campers around. Lucky the bear and her cub took off-maybe my loud yell startled it. They say banging on metal plates amd standing your ground and yelling loud will drive them off- at least thats what the rangers say.
Best wishs and hope both U and your two wonderful dogs have a speedy recovery.
Dogmeat,
Try not to pick on ahansen too much about “the details”. She can’t possibly discuss every aspect of her existence in her posts, suspicions based on evidence and intuition, and sorting out her own feelings and recollections.
I’m sure you’re quite knowledgeable, but don’t try too hard to have an epiphany that is going to make you look smarter than everyone else because you were overreading her posts.
As I attempt to heal, I’ve amused myself by throwing the hypocrisy of the popular “news” mags back in their cheesy money-grubbing faces. (”What do you mean you don’t pay for photographs? Tell that to Angelina’s babies.”)
This story was particularly excellent.
I’d be willing to bet that the cheap bastards will eventually make an offer! And when they do, please ask for double.
Allena,
Your story is fascinating to me for so many reasons. I don’t even know where to start so I’ll start by saying that I wish a full, rapid recovery for you and your brave canines. It is my hope that one day you can once again sit on dirt and stare at water in peace.
I’m still in shock that this is actually you, a member of the HBB, who I saw on the news for something far different than overpriced housing. The coincidence, I suppose, is even more glaring considering that when I saw your picture from the HBB get together that Ouro put together, I thought “THAT’s the person I want to party with!” Your spirit and full-of-life attitude were apparent just from a picture.
Your story is fair warning to those of us who take going into the woods for granted.
Bears have captured my attention since a backpacking trip to Denali and Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska (Supposedly there are more grizzlies there (on Admiralty) than anywhere, something like 1 per square mile. 3 of them came within about 30 yards of the area where we had assembled. Humbling experience, for sure). I’ve had many sleepless (ha!!) nights on Vancouver Island, Sierras, Cascades, etc.
Please give your dogs a firm hug for me. My dog obedience instructor told us that dogs think they have a job to do, whether it’s watching for burglars, chasing squirrels, fending off bears, or merely sleeping at our feet. It is for this reason I no longer scold my dog for barking, no matter what the reason. In fact, if I’d listened to him 4 years ago at 3 in the morning, my car stereo would most likely still be in my car. He doesn’t know “bear” yet, but say “raccoon” or “squirrel” and he’s out the door in a flash. Treeing the local raccoon is his favorite chore and I haven’t seen the offender in about a month now.
He is my favorite hiking partner, bar none, has the heart of a lion, and I’m sure he would defend me to the death in spite of being only about 30 pounds (shepherd/terrier mix). Having said that, I hope he’s never in the position to feel the need to do that. (He did come nose to nose once with a wolf through the mesh on my tent on Vancouver Island.) He’s probably wondering why I’ve already hugged him 3 times today!
Regarding weapons, most situations I’ve heard or read about are like yours, where there’s simply no time to react. In fact, I’m not even sure that knife above could find it’s way through 3 inches of fir!
I do have a few questions, if you’re up for it. I’m a bit confused by what you were doing, mostly due to my own annoying habit of jumping around the story while reading such a fascinating account:
-Were you working on your property or were you hiking?
-How far away were your dogs when the attack happened? I’m surprised that they didn’t smell or sense the bear and that the bear wasn’t turned off by their presence.
-In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently? Is there anything you will do differently on future trips?
Sorry for the novel, but this is amazing stuff from almost every angle I can think of: human spirit; nature at work; human/dog relationships, etc!
I hope my token donation will be of use to you, if only to get the doggies some scooby snacks!
Mike
Thank you for sharing your harrowing story. I admire your candor, courage, determination and humor. I wish you godspeed with your recovery.
Hi Allena,
It’s wonderful to hear that you and your dogs are doing well after the attack. Oro had posted previously that something had happened to you (the post I caught didn’t specify what occurred), and I was saddened and concerned for you. I had assumed it was something more mundane, like a car accident–I would have never guessed a bear ! You are a very special person to have survived that. I greatly admire your courage, especially your levelheadedness in being able to drive yourself to the hospital afterward. My prayers go out to you for a full and speedy recovery. And my thanks go out to Ben for allowing us to know how we can help.
I hope you heal quickly and thoroughly, Allena. Best wishes…
Darn, the conversations are usually way over before I get to post, and surely this post goes right into the ether. But I have to express my respect for Allana and her bravery and poise, and everyone on this blog for the showing of support. My support is on the way to both ahansen and our host (it’s been awhile since the last one).
– JimH
allena;
Make a Utube video clip and give to some teenagers anywhere.
They will send it out all over the world. Also put an address for contributions so everybody in the world can donate to the bear fund.
I am informed that YouTube already HAS several bear mauling videos…a couple of which are in realtime. My own documentation pales in comparison.
No, my mistake was not being mauled by a PANDA. With a message of peace from Elvis.
And Elvis was there too?
Wow, you are one person in the know!
As for someone mentioning that when the RoadShow pics were released, it was terrific seeing all those faces to names, and your pretty face surely stuck out..even to that bar…
Having bouts of tears for your experience,recovery, or is it
menopaws..haha. Thrilled you are so funny and alive to share it.
Hello Allena,
From our meeting at Ben’s Pasadena event I recall you as being elegant, sensitive and extremely expressive. Now I see you as also rugged and extremely tough. What an interesting combination.
I wish you good luck in your recovery, but I really have no doubts you will do just fine. You are the type of person one should never underestimate or bet against.
- Combotechie
It works pretty well for me, Combo, until I get to the fingernails. There, alas, the dichotomy becomes irreconcilable.
There’s a metaphor in there somewhere….
I see a book, an OPrah experience…I have my crystal ball and it says National Best Seller book on harrowing experience…
just seeing if THIS post gets through.
Allana, my prayers go out to you for speedy healing and restored peace and harmony. What an anticlimactic drain. To survive a bear attack, only to be faced with the bottom feeders from the MSM.
I have an Akita, and agree with prior observations about the utility of a good dog.
Best to you and yours.
Allena, I’m late to the party and had no idea what happened. All I can do is say a couple things:
1. If you really want to Spread the Word and the pictures while sticking it to the MSM, the best thing I can think of is to compile the pictures into a slideshow, perhaps with a video of you speaking and sitting with your dogs, and post it up on YouTube. That would really get attention. And the MSM HATES YouTube. You could post the link up at some big-member blogs like Fark or Slashdot. They would be happy to spread the word.
2. I hope you didn’t run into any sports “journalists.” I don’t mean the ones who thoughtfully analyze football plays or whatever. I mean the token women who stand on the sidelines and say “Tell me how you’re feeling RIGHT NOW.” I can barely watch the Olympics for just that reason.
3. I would interested in hearing less about the bear attack and more about your setup out there where you live. You have orchards and blueberry bushes? Are you semi-homesteading sorta? I love reading about that kindd of thing, even if I myself am a dainty doily who can barly walk in tall grass for fear of ticks and snakes.
4. I know how we all make fun of ByeFl, but if she — has to be a she, what man would collect Beanie Babies? — wants to move to relatively tame NW PA, god bless. Maybe she can volunteer on a farm or plant some of her own blueberries. I don’t see how this is a bad thing.
Allana, I could not stop thinking about you and your ordeal last night. All I can think to say to you is how sorry I am that it happened to you and how lucky you are to be alive. Your dogs are super heroes. If I were you I’d buy the biggest California King-sized bed I could find and let them sleep right next to me the rest of their lives. They’d be eating steak every night and getting complete head to paw rub downs daily while someone rubbed their bellies. Get well soon and be well!
I know that we are in a bear market and the the public has been “malled” to death, but I never expected it to get on of our own. Apparently the bears are after Goldilox and there was some “collateral damage”
I am glad you are ok and you had your dogs with you!
Thanks for sharing.
I have a photo that allena sent me that never made it on her site.
It is her face on with one eye completely shut and the other a huge beautiful light blue eye.
Once I got the site to this point I wanted to stop tweaking it. Maybe that one eyed photo could be the one on the cover of your
best selling book.
I promised allena I would do a glamour photo shoot for her the next time she is in Newport. You allena will be beautiful for life.
How many teeth did that bear pull? I bet we could find a cosmetic dentist willing to donate a pretty smile.
Wow Allena. One thing that might help you financially is Social Security disability. If you are unable to work due to long-term injury or illness, you are eligible to apply. Can someone help you ? You can fill out the applications online, but it’s time-consuming. There is a 6-month wait to get Medicare, but after that period, that will kick in, also. Many times during times of crisis, people forget to get their application started. I am an old-time S.S. claims rep, and you are eligible. Believe me. Good luck.
Can you spray a bear with pepper spray? Does it work on them like it works on humans??
This is one more reason not to feed the squirrels. It’ll attract bears.
Seriously, I wish you the best for a speedy recovery. Keep annoying the MSM!
Could you provide a little background on your living situation prior to this attack? Did you live out in the country all year round? Are you retired? Leaving aside the risk of bear attack, it sounds like an idyllic life.
I read more often than I post comments. Over the years I have enjoyed your poignant comments. The relevant, astute and skillful comments you post are a joy to read.
Best Wishes for a speedy recovery. Good Luck
Allena,
Wishing you a very speedy recovery. It is good to see you back, and we’re glad you’re still with us. Must have been a harrowing experience, to say the least.
MG
I guess I’ll post a bit about what I know of Allena. We had been emailing a bit, as I was interested in her setup and how she built her own house, so I knew her name and location. When I saw the bear story, I emailed her and said, please tell me this is not you. This was the day it hit the news. The next morning, from the hospital, I got a reply saying indeed it was her. It was an upbeat and very cogent email, and I was absolutely astounded that she could even reply, yet alone with such sense of humor and spirit. I was shaken and impressed, all at once.
Since then, Allena has displayed one of the most courageous spirits I’ve ever had the pleasure to communicate with. We’ve exchanged a number of emails, and I would never in a million years guess what she must be going through, she always displays the most upbeat attitude - and did I mention an astounding sense of humor?
As for Ben Jones, he, too, has been a most generous person through all this, contacting Allena and setting up this fundraiser for her. Please please don’t forget to donate generously to both Allena and Ben, they are two of the most incredible and deserving people I’ve ever known.
And now here’s my bear story. My cousin lives in Ouray, Colorado, a region with a large black bear population. My cousin was one of the founders of the Silverton Brass Band, and they have an annual festival, so he practices a lot. He also has a yard with fruit trees, and one day he comes out to see a small bear raiding his trees, which is nothing new, but this particular bear was ripping the trees apart. So my cousin gets out the old pots and pans (making noise from his deck), no effect. He goes through a bunch of other noisemaking techniques, no effect, then he goes and gets out his brass instrument and starts doing this oom-pa-pa thing on it. The bear runs like a bat outta you know where, couldn’t get outta there fast enough.
What did he play that had such a great effect? A baratone. (Maybe it should be spelled bearatone.) True story.
The day after I found out about Allena, I was with my dogs down at the river near Ouray and they started whiffling, a small bear took off, had been getting a drink. I will always think of Allena now whenever I see bears (which I hope isn’t too often, seeing bears, that is.)
Allena, get well fast. HBB friends, give with your hearts, here is a truly good cause.
O, M. G.
I can just see your cousin blatting ersatz Sousa on the baritone while some poor creature, paws over ears, careens through the orchard in terror. Forget the sidearms…just bring your tuba into the backcountry! Hysterical, Lostie.
I have to go to the bathroom now.
Allena, my wife and I wish you all the best! Thank you for sharing your courage and your story. I also love the way you dealt with the MSM. Worthless slime. Good for you!
Maybe I missed this part of the story, but do you have medical insurance to cover your doctor bills? Because if this happened in just about any major country in the world, you would have almost zero out of pocket expense for this. You have enough to worry about without the financial pressure! I can only hope the USA lives up to the “greatest country in the world” we love to spout out…and take care of one of our own! Please tell me this isn’t going to ruin you financially.
Get well soon…and keep an eye out for bears!
I’m glad you survived, Allena. Your story is an inspirational tale. Best of luck!
This is another topic unto itself, Joe.
I’ve maintained a personal private payer insurance policy with a major PPO for the last 30 years.
Ridiculous premiums, (well in excess of a quarter mil, adjusted, over the years,) minimal reimbursement– it’s amazing how much they can weasel out of when they maintain sole control over what are considered “reasonable and customary” expenses. Then there are deductibles, exclusions, arbitrary reassignments, denial of services, etc. etc. And fewer and fewer medical specialists are accepting insurance anymore, so it’s pay upfront then try to get reimbursement. All this while I’m trying to come to grips with the horrific changes in my life.
Considering that I’ve always lived a disgustingly healthy lifestyle, never eat junk or industrial “food,” never smoked, stay fit, rarely seek medical help unless something is broken–and even then, I’ve set my own a few times– it annoys the poop out of me that the obese illegal alien having her sixth kid before age 30 and sharing my “private” room is getting the exact same services for free while I’m paying out the wazoo for the both of us.
Now it turns out that in addition to my deductible (minus aforesaid reasonable and customary reductions,) I’m not covered for opthalmic or dental procedures. Or “cosmetic” surgery…which could (and in the past HAS) been construed to encompass reconstructive work. (For example, last year I wasn’t covered for prophylactic mastectomies after an in situ breast cancer diagnosis…18K out of pocket.)
Rabies shots ($1500) had to be paid before I left the ICU because of my deductible. (I’ll need six total.) I don’t have pharmacy benefits, or temporary home assistance with things like cooking, hygiene, unskilled nursing, or coverage for transportation for the 400 mile round trip to UCLA. I have to pay for these upfront and out of pocket. In addition to my monthly premiums. Oh, and did I mention I’m not employed?
The obvious solution is to apply for MediCaid (welfare,) which I have done. But there are no ophthalmologists in Kern County who take it, nor any cosmetic dentists. Rebuilding my face is dependent upon what my insurer decides is cosmetic and what is reconstructive. I’m not encouraged.
And THIS is for someone with “good” private insurance who saved for a rainy day!
The lesson here is…well, I don’t know what the lesson is. My father, sister, ex, stepson, sis-in-law, uncle and several close friends are MD’s and THEY can’t afford to get sick or injured either. Obviously, something has to change.
Sounds like most of your issues are with doctors rather than hospitals, but I wanted to throw this out here. Most hospitals have what may be called a charity care or financial assistance policy. If they even bother to tell you about it, just the name will make many people think they don’t qualify. However, some policies also have a designation that they usually call medically indigent. It means that you aren’t really poor, but your medical bills are so outrageous that you can’t afford them. Ask about this. And ask soon. They budget for these amounts, so it is possible for them to run out of money toward the end of the year. Also, many require either executive level or even board level action to approve a large discount of this type. The fact that this is a well known incident might help with this sort of approval (as pathetic as that is). Catholic hospitals have a longer history of using consistent standards for reporting charity care than some of the others, so they may have better defined policies. And for-profit hospitals sometimes do charity care work as well - it is worth asking. If you want to get “paid” for your story, volunteering to let them put a story in their marketing newsletters might work. You probably have to be the one to raise the issue - I think it is a serious violation of medical ethics for them to bring it up. Could be a violation of HIPA too.
There are also medical practices that are tax exempt. They also might have charity care/financial assistance policies. Sometimes the medical practices that are the faculty groups associated with a teaching hospital or medical school are of this type. You might have to travel quite a ways, but the plastic surgery professors can’t possibly get the chance to show students how to reconstruct your type of injuries very often. Same thing with dental school professors. Make some calls. Or better yet, get the doctors who are at least feeling a little guilty because they can’t convince your insurance to cover it to call around.
Whatever you want and are comfortable with, but those are a few possible approachs.
Some great ideas and information here, Polly. Thank you VERY much for taking the time to share it with me.
I’d say my pleasure, but obviously I’d vastly prefer that you didn’t need the suggestions. You may or may not remember (I mention it occasionally) that I am a public servant. So I guess the information in my head (some of it acquired on the job) really belongs to you.
One more - OK, a few more things. The policies vary hugely from hospital to hospital. If you decide to ask around since you are no longer in an emergency situation, don’t stop at one or two. There are differences based on whether they require you to consider your primary residence a resource, etc. Also, remember that you can make an arguement that since you live off your land, it is more like your job than an asset. And go ahead and argue that the land has very little value now since it has been proven to be a very dangerous place since you were *mauled by a bear* on the property - value entirely limited to its value as a nature reserve for hungry bears.
I presume it doesn’t need to be said that you shouldn’t sign anything like an installment payment arrangement until you can resolve the payment issues with the docs/hospitals you have already used.
This is also a big thing. Sometimes hospitals use collection agencies. But some of them have arrangements with the collection agencies that if the credit vultures can figure out that the former patient can’t pay, the collection stops and goes back to the hosptial for charity care assessment. So don’t duck those phone calls. Talk to them. Tell them you can’t pay if you can’t. Explain why. Your insurance shouldn’t have issues with paying for the care you’ve aready recieved as that was under emergency circumstances. But if there is an issue there, talk to them. Just remember that they are probably RECORDING the call. If they seem determined to get you to give some particular answer to a question (like “yes” to “are you refusing to pay this bill?”), DON”T do it. Never hesitate to demand to talk to a manager, or that person’s manager, or that person’s manager.
Last idea for now. If you have problems, write and call the offices of your reps in the state senate or house or both. Find out if they are on the committees that have responsibility for hospitals. This kind of thing is GOLD in state politics (sympathetic victim, wild animal attack, etc.). And hospitals are terrified of state legislatures who can make their lives miserable and their disclosure requirements embarrassing. Unfortunately the opposite is also true, since the people who are on the boards of hospitals are the same ones that help state reps and senators get elected and stay in office, but it is worth a try. If you can’t figure out exactly what you need help with, ask them what they can do to help you. Point out that you were responsible and paid for insurance and still can’t get your face and teeth fixed. If nothing else, they might be able to pressure a medical or dental school to take on your case. Remember, it isn’t what you know it is who you know. You need to “know” everyone right now.
Polly,
I am one of those constituents who actually DOES stay in touch with my Congressional Offices. And you are absolutely correct. Any time they can intervene in a federal matter on behalf of a voter, they do…with alacrity.
Granted, it can’t be something that might have political repercussions, but help with getting a visa for a family member, or a timely response from Amtrak? They’re right on it.
I really appreciate you sharing your expertise. This is great advice for anyone facing a medical crisis…it’s just troubling to me that something exotic, like a bear attack, seems to get more consideration than a vehicle crash…or a wounded soldier. The distress is universal, though the response is selective.
I agree with you about the unfairness of the attention that goes to unusual events rather than the every day ones. Boy, do I agree. But the hospitals are businesses, even the non-profit ones. Maybe especially the non-profit ones, but with slightly different financial priorities. They LOVE good publicity. When the unfairness bug hits you, the best thing to do is get what help you can, get better, and then tell people how unfair it is that others, just as injured in more mundane circumstances, can’t get the same help.
Keeping in touch with your reps in DC is good, but I was specifically referring to the state legislature. Smaller districts and therefore even more focussed on local news events. And they will have buddies in other districts that they want to trade favors with. Horse trading in state legislatures is notorious. The Feds regulate non-profit hospitals through tax exemption and Medicare rules, but the states have their own standards for tax exemption and the states are more likely to be involved in insurance regulation. Also, the state regulations have much more of a focus on getting health care for their citizens. Fed regulation of tax exemption for hospitals is more about not doing things that unfairly enrich the doctors, executives, contractors, etc. I’m not really sure what the staff of a federal rep can do for you other than call in favors. The state ones might be able to do something more directly. Not sure, just a maybe.
Very brief story. My parents trained in a program to help other seniors with Medicare issues. The local hospital didn’t take the Medicare HMO that nearly all the low income seniors were in. My dad wrote a letter to his state senator in the state capital. The state senator snitched the letter almost word for word as an op-ed in the state’s biggest newspaper. All of a sudden, that hospital is talking to the HMO again. It hasn’t been fixed, but the process has started. You need something more immediate, but it is worth trying.
I had heard that crows were disappearing — West Nile virus? The other day I saw a group of about 12 of them bickering in the grocery store parking lot over what I think was a Mike and Ike box. They reminded me of HBBers and Allena is the eptitome of those survivors. All the best to you.
Part of the problem with bears in Kern County is the fact that the DFG or US Forestry ‘catch’ the ‘bad bears in other places (Yosemite) and transport them to Kern. You end up with more bears, territorial disputes, and more interfaces with humans. Good luck with your rehabilitation.
Pismo,
If you read this, could you please contact me via email?
Thanks,
dvsntt at bnis dot net.
Allena,
My jaw is on the floor reading about your medical situations (including last years — unbelievable!!!). I am so very sorry you have to deal with this.
Maybe you could get in contact with one of those plastic surgery doctors on TV (the 90210 guy or ??).
Even after the attack, you are still an exceptionally beautiful woman. You heal so well, that I thought the news footage was dated long after the attack. Looks like taking good care of yourself really worked to your advantage.
BTW, your dogs are HUGE! How very fortunate you are to have such wonderful, protective dogs. No doubt, they saved your life! .
My family wishes you and your family a quick, easy recovery!
And here’s where the cruel irony comes into play. If you went to the media and allowed them to showcase your situation, you may find free assistance for all the procedures you need. I’m not talking the smaller-time news, I’m thinking the larger ones - like Oprah, Dr. Phil, etc. Your story surely qualifies. But can you allow yourself to do the media circuit in exchange for some of the best, free medical help? If you think you can, you should seriously contact some of the big talk/news shows.
I think it’s a story that would be very inspirational to the average guy. I know I’m sitting here in total awe reading all these posts (wish I’d been online yesterday).
Something to think about.
Again, my very best.
Unfortunately I pretty much already knew what your response was going to be, Allena. And needless to say this stuff makes my blood boil. The medical situation in this country is completely out of control. And you are right, you HAVE “good” coverage. Imagine those that don’t? Michael Moore was so right in “Sicko”. That movie was about people just like you, who had coverage, and got screwed by the system.
We really need to drain the swamp in DC come November. We need to throw these bastards out and push through universal health care for all American citizens. And the illegals shouldn’t get one dime. Offer them a bus ride back to Mexico. That’s it.
As someone else mentioned, if you go on Oprah you will get all the care you need. You should do it! But what about all those people that don’t have Oprah stories? They silently suffer, being destroyed by a system that is immoral and inhumane. You could also look into other countries, like India. Their health services are a fraction of those in this country, and we trained their doctors. And they will put you up in a nice hotel while you are there, and save you a bundle. Don’t let our corrupt system rip you off.
All I can say is we have to drain this foul swamp in November. We need universal health care yesterday. Anyone that opposes this, or defends the current system, will not get my vote.
Take care Allena! We wish you a speedy recovery!
Allena,
You are one tough cookie! I am sorry you had this run in with that bully bear. I am seriously impressed with your ability to keep it together enough to save yourself once your hounds gave you the chance. I am glad you and the hounds survived. Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery for all three of you.
Now, as for the MSM. The way you have handled these slimy denizens of darkness has had me chuckling all the way down this Bits Buckets commentary list. Bravo!
For everything you have done in this you are my hero!
God Bless ya!
Ms. Hansen…you are amazing wit! I admire your resilience and wish you a speedy and complete recovery.
Allena, you are truly a remarkable woman. If ever I’m faced with a challenging situation similar to the one you’ve survived, I can only hope to meet it with the same courage, grace and wit which you have displayed. You are an inspiration for all of us.
I’ve sent my paypal donation and I strongly urge everyone reading here to do the same. No amount is too small.
I’ve read Polly’s suggestions regarding possible means of assistance in covering the expenses for plastic surgery. I have another to suggest. Although I have no first hand experience, I have read many articles in the msm about individuals going abroad for surgery because of inadequate or non-existent insurance coverage for elective procedures. I believe that in most cases the expense is a fraction of the cost in the US. Perhaps this is another avenue to explore.
Good luck!
Allena,
I am happy to hear that you survived your ordeal. Best of luck in your recuperation.
May I humbly suggest that you get more dogs for your wanderings around your property. I am thinking about possibly more agressive/possessive dogs-possibly a chow can be thrown into the mix. My chow knows whats going on down the street and he can not even see anything in his vision. You need a breed of dog that is willing to die for you, as his pack leaders. Well, just a thought.
Also, I would like to suggest carrying at least one side arm of a large caliber. The multiple dogs should give you a wide radius of anyone entering within hearing distance of you, so that you will have time to get into a wide clear free fire zone.
Again, I am sorry for your misfortune. We all think that it happens to other people and not us. Please be prepared in the future, since I do not believe that you will be leaving your property/home.
god speed,
I have an Akita, my sixth over many years. They are reputed to be bear dogs, at least that is what they were originally bred for in Japan. I like them because they are intelligent, calm, quiet, have a PRESENCE, and, although they will not start a fight, they will surely finish it. I did not adopt or buy any of my Akitas for personal protection or guard duty. Other than running off the occasional nasty feral dogs in the woods every so often, none of them ever faced the personal protection test. According to anecdotes from breeders etc, the Akita will corner the threat and prevent it from moving, for days if necessary.
By reputation, the dog who will go to the mat for you, originally bred to guard the home and hearth, is one of the old landrace breeds - the Caucasian Mountain Dog, or Caucasian Owchartka (?sp?). They are very large. They arose in an area where the loss of a sheep or two was equivalent to annual discretionary income. They are intelligent. When they discern the reality of the threat (as in herd-guarding), or discern the danger to their owner (as in bear attack or home invasion), they will kill it. There are few of these dogs in this country, with good reason, and no breeders ready to ‘popularize’ it, risking its members to lowlife scum. When I get my post-Apocalypse homestead in West (by God!) Virginia, I will likely look to an Akita and a Caucasian.
Haven’t forgotten my prayers for you today. Nor will I tomorrow.
You are one strong - and yet so composed - lady, Allena. The world needs FAR more people like you in it.
I’m sorry about your accident and all the annoying journalists now hounding you. I have the utmost respect for how you have handled it all.
Best of wishes for a speedy recovery.
Very sincerely,
Eastcoaster (aka Laurie)
I’m very glad to hear that you survived your ordeal. I grew up in Tennessee, and there are LOTS of black bears in the state.I’ve been chased by a Momma bear after running into her cubs. Indeed- they can get nasty. My Wife wonders why I’m not crazy about hiking in areas with bears. Best of luck to a speedy recovery!
As we all read about Allena’s insurance situation, I ask you to compare the two plans offered by Obama and McCain and decide which one offers a real solution.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/19ba2f1c-c03f-4ac2-8cd5-5cf2edb527cf.htm
One of these two candidates likes the system exactly the way it is now, and they will not be getting my vote.
I don’t have much to add, but I want to chime in my own best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and your pups.
Allena…
I’ve encountered perhaps 650 black bears in my travels, but never one that has stalked me, always brief encounters, more of a surprise to the bear, than me.
We just got back from a 12 day backpack in the highest Sierra and didn’t see any bears in all that time, which struck me as highly unusual.
I think the drought is chasing many bears down from the mountains, as their usual feeding habits have changed and they seem to have not got the memo about global warming.
Last year early in spring (awful drought year) the bears woke early and their scat told the tale of starvation as far as i’m concerned.
Kudos to you for standing your ground against not only this rogue bear, but the rogue press as well.
My admiration for you continues to grow…
I looked at the photos on photobucket and I just want to say that you are still a beautiful woman!