Saturday morning, a man was attacked while scouting for deer hunting areas on Joint Base Lewis-McCord (JBLM), Wash.
According to the Director of Emergency Services at JBLM, the man was a military reservist and had permission to be in the off-limits area. The base regularly opens sections of restricted areas to hunters each season. The victim was treated for minor injuries on the scene and released. Officials are still looking for the aggressive bear.
This is the second bear attack on JBLM in the last five months. In April, a man was attacked while walking on Engineer’s Bluff at JBLM. The man was treated at Madigan Army Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. Base officials later killed a 310-pound bear they said was the one that had attacked the man.
Bear sightings have been common this summer with the warmer weather encouraging both man and bear to be more active. A man in Kirkland experienced a bear encounter at Big Finn Park last month while walking his dog. The man was able to leave the scene without incident and the bear disappeared in the forest. Some residents in the area have started carrying bear bells to warn the fury forest foragers of human presence.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife there are over 25,000 black bears throughout the state. Black bears are omnivores with a basic diet of grasses, berries, flowing plants, grubs and bees. Bears breed in June and July with cubs born in January or February. Most confrontations happen when a bear is surprised at close range. Making noise can alert bears to your presence and may avoid an encounter. If a bear attacks, the Fish and Wildlife department recommends that you fight back aggressively using your hands, feet, legs and any object you can reach. Aim for the eyes, or spray bear spray into the bear’s face.
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