Always carry a big revolver. Always.

[Old Ironsights]

Montana Football Player Tackled by Grizzly Bear

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

BILLINGS, Mont. — Carroll College freshman wide receiver Roman Morris had never been tackled like this before.

Morris, who was bow hunting with two friends, was crouched on a hillside north of Gardiner at dawn Saturday when a female grizzly bear that was walking by turned and attacked him.

"It charged down the hill and just drilled me," said Morris, 21, of Whitewater.

Over the next 30 to 45 seconds, Morris fought with the bear as it bit and clawed, severed his left hamstring, punctured his shoulder, chomped at his head and tossed him around.

"I thought the whole time, This is so messed up. I'm going to die, I'm going to die,"' said Morris, a pre-med major.

The bear ran off after a friend fired a pistol. Morris underwent surgery at a Livingston hospital and was recuperating Monday at his brother's house in Helena.

"I still have a pretty dang good headache from the whole thing," he told The Billings Gazette in a telephone interview.

Morris, who was not on the Carroll football team's traveling squad for Saturday's game at Butte, said he and his brother, Mitch, and friend, Josh Love, set out to Beattie Gulch early Saturday to bow hunt for elk.

Daylight was just arriving as the three split up. Morris found a spot behind some sagebrush. After hearing some rustling, he pulled an arrow from his quiver and readied his bow. Just then, he saw the grizzly about 15 feet away, walking at an angle toward him. He felt certain the bear knew he was there.

Morris thought briefly about shooting it but thought that would only antagonize the animal.

Instead, he waited and hoped the bear would keep walking.

However, the bear turned and charged. Morris said he stood partway up and started to draw his bow when the grizzly hit him. For several seconds as they slid downhill, he held the bear's head and pounded away with his fist.

"I put everything I had into it. It didn't budge at all," said Morris, who is 6 feet, 2 inches, and 205 pounds.

The grizzly swatted Morris, its claw stabbing a 2-inch hole into his shoulder. He dropped down and put his hands behind his head. The bear bit at his head several times, but the slick outer layer on his hooded jacket apparently prevented the bear from clamping down.

"That jacket probably saved my life," he said.

The bear tried to roll him over, looking for a bite of his face or head, he said. Morris said he tried to play dead but also kept pushing the bear away as it bit and slapped at him.

Finally, the grizzly tore into his left leg — leaving a deep 9-inch gash — and tossed him, perhaps five to eight feet, he said.

"I don't know how you can stay still when it sinks its teeth into you," Morris said.

The bear kept picking him up and dropping him and Morris had been bitten more than a dozen times. Then the attack stopped.

His friend fired a shot and the grizzly took off.

Morris and the two others hiked a mile or so back to the car.

The attack came just hours before two Pennsylvania hunters shot a grizzly bear in self defense after bear spray didn't deter the charging bear.

On Monday, Morris said he still didn't understand why the bear attacked him. She was with three cubs, but they weren't under any threat as far as he could tell. Morris wasn't carrying pepper spray, saying he wasn't convinced it's as effective at keeping bears at bay as some claim.

The grizzly was doing more than just defending itself, Morris thinks.

"It was looking at me like I was an easy meal," Morris said.

The doctor told him he can't put pressure or weight on his injured leg for the next month or so and that it could be about a year before it's back to normal. Morris still hopes to fill his elk tag.

"I'm definitely going back out hunting as soon as I can," he said.

[WCF3030]

Lucky man.
I like this statment "The attack came just hours before two Pennsylvania hunters shot a grizzly bear in self defense after bear spray didn't deter the charging bear."
In a million years I'd never depend on spray in bear country.

I had an encouter of sorts with a Black bear sow and her cub about 3 weeks ago. She was behind me headed right towards me but had seen me or winded 25-30 yards away. First sign of blackbear I've seen south of Atlanta Mi.
I was small game hunting at the time and all I could do was think of how small that 22Lr boltaction looked in my hands.
After that I'll never get caught like that again.

[CraigC]

He sure is lucky to be alive. What I think is silly is that in most states it's illegal to carry a pistol when you're bow hunting. I think I'd have to take that chance in grizzly country. I didn't like having to rely on pepper spray for dogs when I was a field tech. It didn't always work on them. Depending on it for grizzlies just seems absurd.

[jengel]

That is why I don't want to carry only a 22 pistol when I go out fishing. My thought is that you should carry a pistol that would have a good chance of protecting you from the biggest baddest predator you should encounter. Out here, it would be a mountain lion. I always carry my .41 mag or the 45 colt blackhawks.

[kimwcook]

I always, always, always carry a revolver, big revolver, on my hip when I'm out and about. A person will always lay down their rifle if they have to do something. Next thing ya know is your tens of feet away from your firearm and you need it now. If it's on your hip it's with you all the time.

[Ysabel Kid]

I always, always, always carry a revolver, big revolver, on my hip when I'm out and about. A person will always lay down their rifle if they have to do something. Next thing ya know is your tens of feet away from your firearm and you need it now. If it's on your hip it's with you all the time.

Sage advice!!!

[BlaineCGarverakaTubbyTuba]

Washington is Insane....it's illegal (and strongly enforced) to have any handgun while bow hunting big game. People have called and the answer is that if you can't defend yourself with the bow, you ain't a good enough shot to be hunting in the first place.....

[kimwcook]

Blaine, you're right. You can't carry a firearm while bow hunting in Washington State. It's nuts.

You know another kicker to the "common sense" hunting laws of Washington State is that you can't use, say, a 22, to dispatch a mortally wounded animal. If you're going to use a firearm to humanely dispatch the critter you have to use a firearm that meets the requirement to take the animal with. So for most it's a 44 mag minimum. Makes sense doesn't it.

[TedH]

People have called and the answer is that if you can't defend yourself with the bow, you ain't a good enough shot to be hunting in the first place.....

That is the most absurd statement I have ever heard!

[Nath]

Is that washington state or city?
Sprays work just fine-when my mrs uses it on her hair I bolt out off the room every time
Sure wish I could carry, I wish we had bear, wolf and big cats. Man I could get down to some serious fun

[BlaineCGarverakaTubbyTuba]

Blaine, you're right. You can't carry a firearm while bow hunting in Washington State. It's nuts.

You know another kicker to the "common sense" hunting laws of Washington State is that you can't use, say, a 22, to dispatch a mortally wounded animal. If you're going to use a firearm to humanely dispatch the critter you have to use a firearm that meets the requirement to take the animal with. So for most it's a 44 mag minimum. Makes sense doesn't it.

They HAVE made the handgun requirements vastly more easy: All it sez is 4" bbl and at least .24 cal. and to please use common sense. I could use my full size 1911 and if I stay in bow range, just might try it someday..I expect a 230 HydorShok at 30 or 40 yds would be just fine.

[kimwcook]

Blaine I'll check on that again, but I thought there was still the velocity/energy requirement. Which pretty much makes it a 6" 44 mag w/factory ammo. I can't see Washington State changing it. Could be I'm wrong, that'd be great.

I'm wrong. Just checked the site and your right. Unbelieveable. It's been the other way for so long I just couldn't see the state changing the requirement.

[505stevec]

Well illegal or not, carry conealed if you have to. Better tried be twelve than carried by six. No truer words were ever spoken... especially concerning things that will eat you

[Paul105]

In Montana, it's legal to carry a handgun during archery season. One of my son's friends had to kill a mountain lion (with his bow) at arms length during bow season a year or two ago. He shot it right between the eyes (he is a very experienced hunter). He took it to the Dept of Fish and Game, who made him take them back to the spot were it happened. How you make up a story when the lion had an arrow between its eyes is beyond me.

Last year a friend of my Daughter's was stalked by a Wolf while bow hunting elk -- he had a handgun, but managed to scare it off without shooting.

Here's some more grizz happenings earlier in the fall --

"There has been a rash of grizzly attacks on hunters, grizzly shootings and a lot of close encounters with grizzlies and black bears this year that never made the headlines. Incidents have spanned the western half of the state from Gardiner to the Bitterroot to the Rocky Mountain Front."

http://montanastandard.com/articles/200 ... jijjfj.txt

Paul

[cas]

People have called and the answer is that if you can't defend yourself with the bow, you ain't a good enough shot to be hunting in the first place.....

That is the most absurd statement I have ever heard!

LOL And.. even if that WERE true, ok, so.. you deserve to die because of it? Asinine.

[20cows]

In Texas, it was illegal to have a handgun bowhunting (during the archery only season) for a long time. A couple of years ago the law was changed to allow (maybe acknowledge is a better term) carry with a CHL while bow hunting.

[Old Time Hunter]

Here is another one:

http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles ... 1wis25.txt

[Oz n bolivia]

This guy really let the bear get to close, 15 feet is about two body lengths of a big bear and they are very very fast. He should have had that bow at full draw long before the bear was that close. The same goes with a handgun. If a dangerous animal is getting close get ready for a possible attack. Human reflexes are not up to par with theres.

Be a boy scout, be prepared!
Oz

[336A]

I have always relished the idea of carrying a big bore revolver while hunting. However the fact of the matter is I'm not a pistoleer in any sense of the word. Now go ahead and add a angry bear, stress, and adenaline on top of that. I hihgly doubt I could hit the darn thing unless it was chewing on my arm. The only bears around here are black bears and most would laugh at the size of of our bears. Most go around 200 pounds if that. I feel perfectly armed with my S&W M10 with either a 158gr SWC on top of a max +P charge of Unique ( 5.4gr ), or a 170gr SWC over the max charge of Unique ( 5.0gr ). After seeing the size of the black bears here, there is no doubt in my mind that either of those loads would not penetrate sufficiently.

[dogngun]

I live in PA, where there are no griz, but I carry a SAA and a derringer in .45 LC while in the woods.
I was going to say that I can't believe the lawmakers in the State of Washington is that stupid, but yes, of course I can.
If I lived there, I'd carry anyway, under my coat.

mark

[Hobie]

In Texas, it was illegal to have a handgun bowhunting (during the archery only season) for a long time. A couple of years ago the law was changed to allow (maybe acknowledge is a better term) carry with a CHL while bow hunting.

VA allows carry by a CHP holder when hunting with bow OR muzzleloader.

It is interesting that you can't carry a cap'n'ball revolver when ML hunting.

[the telegraphist]

Washington is Insane....it's illegal (and strongly enforced) to have any handgun while bow hunting big game. People have called and the answer is that if you can't defend yourself with the bow, you ain't a good enough shot to be hunting in the first place.....

Aint they ever heard of insurance, bet they dont drive without it, bunch of mugs.
Regards
The Telegraphist

[RIHMFIRE]

We have a lot of bears down here in florida....
and I cant tell you how many close encounters I
have had...many with cubs...a very uneasy feeling to
say the least...
The closest ...maybe 15 yards from the base of my ladder stand....

25 to 30 yards on the ground turkey hunting...
The 44 mag is always with me...period!

Some of the bears are pushing 400 to 450 pounds...

[Buck Elliott]

He sure is lucky to be alive. What I think is silly is that in most states it's illegal to carry a pistol when you're bow hunting. I think I'd have to take that chance in grizzly country. I didn't like having to rely on pepper spray for dogs when I was a field tech. It didn't always work on them. Depending on it for grizzlies just seems absurd.

Wyoming now specifically allows bow hunters to carry firearms just for such situations.

[Old Ironsights]

One or two years ago Indiana began "allowing" people with a Carry Permit to carry their sidearm while bow hunting. Used to be you couldn't carry any firearm that was not "legal" for the license/season in question. Now, within reason (your SD Piece can't be a goose gun or 30-06) you can carry a handgun in any and all seasons.

[rjohns94]

Pa just started letting you carry CCW while bowhunting. they state though that the firearms that are carried for CCW are typically not what would be considered hunting firearms. Haven't gotten clarification on that.

[Old Ironsights]

It's kind of funny how they do it here...

I spoke with a Conservation Officer about one of the odder aspects - I can Hunt with a 4"+ .357 revolver loaded with .357 ammo, but if I put a finisher into a deer with my 2" SP101 using .357 ammo it's illegal.

Likewise, during ML or Archery, if I use a 4"+ .357 refolver to put a finisher into a downed deer, it is illegal.

But I can carry anything I want - "legal" or not - for Self Defense in the woods.

[Nath]

What he really needs is my Mrs hairspray! Gets me out the room in a jiffy!

Nath

[tman]

any time i'm in the woods ,eithier the .357 s&w loaded with buffaloe bore 180"s or a .45acp loaded with 230gr. fmj. and hollowpoint, alternated. either beat throwing rocks.

[Bogie35]

Wyoming now specifically allows bow hunters to carry firearms just for such situations.

That's because Wyoming is one of the few truly American states remaining!

bogie

[Bogie35]

What he really needs is my Mrs hairspray! Gets me out the room in a jiffy!

Nath

Add a cigarette lighter, and you're in business!

bogie

[Modoc ED]

Back in the day (1950s & early 1960s) you could carry a firearm while bow hunting almost everywhere but there were instances of people shooting say a deer and then inserting an arrow into the deer and claiming they had killed it with an arrow. I know, I know -- sounds stupid but it happened. People that did it used the "Bow Season" to take additional game over what they could take during the regular deer season.

[PaulB]

That's because Wyoming is one of the few truly American states remaining!

Well, they must have been something other than American up until a year ago, when they changed the law.

At least they changed it in the right direction. I suppose all it takes is for someone who's been mauled to show off his wounds in the legislature. Probably get their attention.

That business about sticking an arrow in a bullet hole? Might have happened, sure. Still no excuse for legislators taking away a man's right to defend himself.

[Travis Morgan]

Good lesson for the anti-handgun crowd. A yound college football player got his butt kicked; your ol butt won't do any better. CARRY A HANDGUN! A BIG ONE!

[505stevec]

carry a BIG gun shoot the dang bear and leave it. let the Game and Fish Ranger sort it out. At the end of the day I am going home to momma!!! heck with bear critters!