Blogger’s NOTE: Hey folks just wanted to give you the final update on these pictures. No, they were not taken in Minnesota and the information you are about to read is product of a chain e-mail letter that loses credibility each time it is forwarded because the facts get manipulated. I heard from a Park Ranger from Virgina at the Shenandoah National Park that this incident occurred at their location about a week ago. Apparently one of the rangers at that park had to pull the wounded deer off the road because he was scared the bear would also get hit by speeding motorists within the park system. Like I said, still quite interesting pictures, but as often is the case with these sort of e-mails it takes some time after publishing for the facts to finally flesh out.
A good friend of mine who lives down in the area where this was purported to have happened sent me these interesting pics by e-mail. As is often the case, the e-mail fails to mention the name of the photographer/witness to this scene, but nevertheless the pictures are striking enough I thought I would pass them along. Check out the brief story and photos as it appeared in the e-mail.
This is just west of Chatfield [Minnesota] off hwy 30. The pics are of a buck that was hit by a vehicle and could not walk. It happened locally off of County Road 139 near Cummingsville, MN. A friend of a friend happened to stop to look at the deer when the bear came out of the woods and attacked it. He was actually pretty close when all this happened as the pics will show. ~Anonymous
As is always the case in these viral e-mail stories, if the witness to the scene wants to step up and take credit for the photos, as well as tell us some additional details about what they observed, we welcome those comments.
For what it’s worth…it should be noted that this summer in southern Minnesota we have been hearing many reports of bear sightings outside their typical range. In fact, for the first time in my nearly 50 year lifetime we have had credible sightings of bears with cubs less than two miles from my farm. Amazing!
©2010 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.
Filed under: Nature (General)
Good post!
Interesting and absolutly 100% believable!
I’m puzzled over the park ranger supposedly pulling the deer off the road to save the bear. Wouldn’t there have been some concern about the bear protecting its grub? Besides trying to pull a live deer, that’s risky in its self. Would it not have been more humane and safer to have put the deer out of its misery rather than let it be eaten alive? Let the bear have it, but put the poor deer out of its misery. I’ve hunted all my life and I just can’t get the morbid mentality of watching and not helping nature out a little.
I agree, HK! Had the same thoughts as you, but I suspect that because this reportedly happened within the boundaries of a National Park the task of “putting wildlife out of their misery” is not something they are allowed to do by policy. In these situations I would suspect they are instructed to let nature take it course. That’s my best guess anyway. Now in terms of handling the dying deer…I also agree with your assessment. However, if the deer was paralyzed, at least in its hindquarters from the accident, I can imagine the task could be done to move the deer from the roadway…but it certainly wouldn’t be something I would care to do. Thanks for your comment and response.
Others have thoughts on this post?