Who knew I would write about bears this October new moon—Hunters Moon.
Blood Moon. Not I.
It’s also my Mom’s birth day. This one’s for her.
I was prompted by the fatal bear attack in a remote corner of Banff National Park on August 29, 2023. Doug Inglis, Jenny Gusse and their dog were attacked and killed by a Grizzly Bear while on a week long wilderness excursion.
They were alone. In stocking feet and outside their tent.
They managed to send an SOS signal via GPS, “bear attack bad”.
All three were dead when a Parks Canada Wildlife Human Attack Response Team arrived at the scene in the middle of the night. The agitated bear attacked the Response Team and was shot.
Doug and Jenny were experienced in the back-country, had followed all recommended procedures in setting up their camp. Sometimes in bear attacks the victims inadvertently attract or disturb the bear. In this case the circumstances will never be known. There were no human witnesses.
My sincerest sympathy to their family and friends.
My sincerest sympathy also to the bear.
She was over twenty five years old, near the end of her life.
She was underweight with worn down teeth.
She had no history of negative encounters with humans, had never been tagged, and lived in a remote area with few human visitors.
At this time of year bears enter a yearly phase called hyperphagia in which they eat and drink almost continuously in order to put on enough weight to survive hibernation through the long winter. It’s been a poor berry year.
Bear attacks are rare, fatal attacks even rarer. The outcome for a bear who attacks humans is pretty much always the same.
Bear attacks on humans are fatal to bears.
Parks Canada has wisely declined to speculate about the cause or circumstances of this attack.
I’ve been thinking about bears most of my life. I grew up with them while living in Banff in an era before there was strict garbage control in the townsite and black bears wandered freely through town. Everyone had a bear story story or two to tell. The town dump was a tourist site for viewing bears.
Bear Country
We lived on Bear’s mountain.
We were fond. We were wary.
At three I Goldilocks
rock rock in my little chair.
Cinnamon Bearcub peeks round corner
(hair same colour as mine)
startles me backwards down porch stairs.
At ten I peek
at Tommy’s cheek
raked by a single claw
eye to jaw.
Dad says, "never get between a mother and cubs".
Ulysse La Casse knew my Grampa
they travelled together in Bear Country.
Now he works in Luxton’s Museum
lets me ride stuffed Bear—
dry hairy back, rolling walk.
At the Banff dump tourist kids
poke chocolate bars through their car window.
Bear slobbers the glass—they squeeeeel—
cast for their Dad’s home movie
Bear Encounter.
I write blood, meat, fish stories
delicious to the nose of Bear.
Trapped between Vermilion Lake road
railroad track—bank manager running fast
meets Killer Grizzly.
Wardens share the meat. Invite us for dinner.
Think this callous? You’d be wrong.
I’ve lived medium-close to bears
my heartbeat quickens
Bear smells me downwind
glides—a moving stripe among trees.
Bear licks Catherine’s face awake—in a tent by Waterton Lake.
Bear smells Thanksgiving turkey—slobbers our kitchen window.
Bear mauls Jasper boy—covered with fish guts in his Dad’s fish camp.
Bear climbs in car window—berry juice shit all over Alex’ car.
We camp in tiny alpine meadow
glaciers all around
near fresh goatkill stashed by Grizzly
eat uneasy fish supper.
We clamber over caverned tree roots
up terrible trail
follow Bear droppings
camp near ‘where Grizzlies killed hunters’
in their offal and meat stinking camp.
Bear carcasses on railway tracks
on highways—‘road kill’.
Hunters poach paws, gall bladders
trophy heads for their walls.
Leave the meat.
I’m back in Bear country chasing dreams
river flows Bears.
Who’s this baby Bear I long to pet? Who’s
this tiny white Bear I build a saddle for?
O Bear In my dream I crawl over gorge on fallen tree trunk to reach you.
O Bear In my dream I see you scrawny and begging.
O Bear In my dream your family gleams in black luxury coats.
My old Teddy’s split in the middle
tame Bear, no teeth or claws.
I loved him ‘til he was threadbare.
In my dream Bear warns
don’t cross that gorge into wilderness—
turn your back to the creatured night
where Bears live
beyond swelling and spreading cities.
Bears you’ve yet to meet
Kodiak Bear Spirit Bear Polar Bear
Leave it for them—
Bear never wins a contest with humans.
I have a deep abhorrence for zoos and other forms of creatures in cages. I didn't know of the polar bear, what a tragic fate.
Sarah, thanks for this comment, you live with the half wild all the time and know. also thanks for commenting on this site