Would You Fight a Grizzly Bear? Attack Survivor Says He’s Ready for Round 2!

Hundreds of people are attacked by wild animals every year. Bears are particularly notorious, and despite the warnings out there from the forest rangers, people still fall prey to grizzly bear attacks. One survivor “talks” about his experience, and here we look at what happened to him and how you can avoid befalling a similar fate while out in the wilderness.

Not A Cuddly Toy!

Grizzly bears are not the kind of animals you’d want to cuddle. Rudy Noorlander found this out firsthand while hunting in Utah. According to him, he “tried to French-kiss a bear,” which led to him having to get his jaw reconstructed.

Significant Injuries

Rudy, the operator and owner of Alpine Adventures out of Big Sky, Montana, was with a pair of customers helping them on a hunt. They encountered a small grizzly cub, but before Rudy could do anything, its mother came out of the forest and mauled him, severely damaging his face and jaw.

What Happened to Rudy?

When the bear was done with Rudy, his entire face, jaw, and larynx were torn and broken. Doctors at the ICU of the University of Utah Hospital gave him an excellent prognosis to survive, but on that first day, he had to go through no less than three surgeries on his jaw and throat region.

Communicating On Paper

Over the next few weeks, Rudy would go through surgery after surgery, attempting to repair the massive damage the bear had done to his jaw. Doctors reconstructed his jaw, with each new surgery bringing a bit more functionality. While he could not speak, he’d use a whiteboard with a market to have his daughter understand his thoughts.

Could He Have Avoided It?

Experts in hunting and tracking are usually well-prepared for bear attacks. In this case, Rudy was carrying with him bear spray (which serves as a repellent) and knew to avoid bears while they were out hunting or foraging.

Precautions

However, these precautions were insufficient since the bear charged him out of the forest. He didn’t even have time to react. His daughter states that since the group he was with was so small and so inexperienced, there was no way they could know what to do to prevent the bear’s attack.

What Could Cause a Bear to Attack?

Bears are complex creatures. Still, we know a little bit about what could cause an attack. If a bear feels threatened or sees us as competition for its food, it won’t hesitate to attack to show you who’s boss.

Bad Timing

In Rudy’s case, it was a combination of bad luck, bad timing, and an inexperienced crew. They first came across the cub, and the bear, seeing Rudy and his companions as a threat, wasted no time charging into battle way too quickly for anyone else to realize what was happening.

How Dangerous Are Grizzly Bears?

You might think that grizzlies are out there just waiting to jump on you, but attacks typically happen sporadically. Estimates put attacks at one to two of them per year.

Extremely quick

Don’t let that fool you, though. These animals are dangerous and unpredictable. The average grizzly can swim and climb, making it almost impossible to get away unless you get up a sturdy tree and have some patience. They are also fast on foot, making up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) for short distances.

What Can You Do If You Encounter a Bear

It depends on the circumstances. If you’re in a situation like Rudy, an experienced outdoorsman, there’s very little you can do. However, if you have an advance warning of the bear, you can do a few things to avoid getting into a confrontation.

No Surprises

Avoid surprising a bear by making noise while hiking, especially in areas with limited visibility. The louder you are, the less likely the bear will see you as someone sneaking up on it, and the more time it will have to avoid you.

Bear Spray

Carry bear spray and know how to use it effectively. As cute as grizzlies are, they are still wild animals. Keep a safe distance from bears; do not approach or attempt to get closer for photographs.

No Sharing Food!

If you’re camping, secure your foodstuff in bear-resistant containers or hang them in a bear-safe manner. Hungry grizzlies may be drawn to the scent of your food and see you as a threat to them getting to eat.

Grizzlies Are An Endangered Species

Even though they can be vicious animals to encounter, grizzlies are listed as endangered in the lower 48 states of the U.S. This comes from cities and towns cutting into their hunting grounds, leading to loss of habitat.

On The Lookout

While rescuers were out looking for the bear that savaged Rudy, they could not find it, and the mama and her cub escaped.

What’s Next for Rudy?

Doctors say that Rudy will talk again, but getting used to his new surgically implanted structures will take a while. They won’t give a specific timeline for Rudy’s recovery since the damage was also extensive to his throat and vocal cords.

Where Is My Root Float!

Rudy’s most significant issue with being in the hospital? They didn’t serve root beer floats. His daughter promised him that he’d get one as a celebration of his recovery.

On leaving the hospital, Rudy was optimistic and encouraged everyone not to give up. “Most of the important things In the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all,” Rudy wrote on his whiteboard on Friday. “Even if there seems to be no hope, keep on fighting.” Rudy also said he’s more than ready for round two with the bear.