Bear is no match for Girl Scout

[frank10 12]

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=52118&in_page_id=2

 

A bear has been scared off by a little Girl Scout. The bear tried to pull the girl out of her tent during a camping trip. But he did not reckon on her knowing her 'bear education'. Celeste Tietz, 11, grabbed a tent pole and slid out of her sleeping bag as the bear was tugging at her at Camp Mosey Wood.

She said: "Something started pulling me towards the front of my tent and tried to pull me out."

 

The Girl Scout, from New Jersey, and the other girls in the tent screamed for help.

 

Adults then loaded the girls, about 15 of them, into a van and took them to the camp's mess hall.

 

Ann Meredith, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, said the camp will not allow girls to sleep in tents this coming weekend or the following weekend.

 

Campers and adult leaders get bear education when they register for camp, she said.

 

"Bears are a fact of life," Meredith said. "We're living in their habitat."

[ScoutNut 147]

Maybe she should have just thrown the food in her tent at the bear!

 

That girl, and the others in the tent, were VERY, VERY lucky.

 

I understand the council is now making all campers sign a contract that they understand the rules and will not, under any circumstances, have any food in tents.

 

 

[DanKroh 11]

ScoutNut, did you read an article that said she had food in her tent? I've looked at a couple of articles on this, and none of them stated that there was food in the tents. Just wondering where you got that from?

 

Evidently, her's was also not the only tent the bear went after. I think it's great the girl had the presence of mind to act as she did and not panic. And yes, they are all very lucky.

[ScoutNut 147]

I am on a Girl Scout site with folks from that council and also folks from the area where the camp is located. They were talking about it as well. It seems the camp already does bear & wildlife training, but kids being kids, seemed to think that there was no real need. After all, it can't happen to them!

 

It seems the poor bear will be captured & hopefully relocated.

 

I remember camping in the 'Porkies, in the UP, back BK(before kids!) and hearing these young backpackers complain about how a bear ripped up one of their tents (empty thank goodness) & scattered their food all over. They could not understand why it happened!

 

Then we go into town & hear about how they had to put down a mother bear just the week before for mauling campers.

 

Sheesh! When will folks learn to respect nature!

 

[ASM915 90]

Maybe the bear was after the Brownies. FOOD GUYS, NOT THE GIRLS.

To bad Larson retired. One of his best FAR SIDE's was the two polar bears sitting down chewing on igloos. Ones say to the other," I love the way these things are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside."

 

On the more serious side of things,

Let's not forget that food isn't the only attraction for bears. Anything that smells good and like food, such as scented shampoos and soaps can attract them. Maybe she had on berry scented body splash. Vanilla or garlic works wonders at repelling skeeters, but I bet is mighty appealing to Smokey and his friends. Hey, Marinated Brownies!! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

Also, that is why they teach to wear clean clothing to bed each night and bear-bag the dirty cloths with the toiletries 200 yards from the tent sites. Same as the food bags. Maybe she dropped some food on her cloths earlier in the day during one of the meals

 

Yes, they are very lucky. I remember several incidents in NW Pa. in the 70's, around the Butler area, where there were several attacks and mauling. One in particular stands out. The Scout died of his injuries. The bear was after the shampoo scent that was on the Scouts hair when it went through the tent. The first thing the bear grabbed was his head. Endgame.

 

And yes the kids think it will never happen to them, especially in Ohio. Guess what? A year or two ago Smokey got tired of SW Pa. and took a walkabout through Eastern Ohio. He came mighty close to 7 Ranges Scout Reservation amd Camp McKinley, our Council's two main camps which are about 18 miles apart. He came in about 40 to 50 miles before turning north. He was hit by a surprised motorist just east of Kent, Ohio, who watched as he shrugged it off and ran into the woods. He was seen a few days later heading toward the Astabula area, which houses the Greater Western Reserve Council's main camp. I don't remember the ending to the escapades other then it didn't end bad for the bear.

[SSScout 1616]

Local Bear story:

 

WB weekend, out near Harpers Ferry, camp ground near the AT in VA.

First morning we go to breakfast, one of the men asks if anyone had a "big black Labrador" (meaning dog) in camp? Well, we knew the camp caretaker had some dogs, but upon inquiry, nope, wasn't one of them... oh well.

 

Next morning, one of my camp mates said he didn't sleep too well, seems there was a "big bull frog" near camp that kept him awake with it's "wonk, wonk, wonk" as it went thru camp...?THRU CAMP? FROG?

 

This gentleman was a city kid, so some of us went back to camp and looked around and , by golly there they were, bear tracks in the soft dusty areas. Seems that 'big black Labrador" that was seen at a distance the day before was a Black Bear!! No food in OUR camp, just a lot of sweaty old men...

 

YiS

[ASM915 90]

As per my last post,

 

Last weekend in Minerva, Ohio, 10 miles from our main camp, the Minerva PD had to put a stop to the Minerva Homecoming events as soon as the fireworks ended due to a two year old 200 LB male black bear. He was last seen heading east from Carroll County into Columbiana County. Guess where the camp is at, right on the county line. This has been one of 8 bear spottings within 20 miles of the camp in the last three weeks.

 

I think there will be some discussion with the camp director later this morning about any precautions that are being taken, if any.