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Although bear attacks are extremely rare, they can still happen. The majority of attacks can be prevented by keeping food away from campsites and making noise while hiking. Bears generally attack when they feel threatened or startled, rather than out of hunger. Here are 10 incredible survival stories of people who faced bears and used unexpected strategies to escape.
10. Kicking the Bear
One evening in Virginia, Laurie Cooksey went for a hike with her three children and encountered a black bear. Black bears can be especially dangerous because the common 'play dead' method doesn't work on them, unlike with brown or grizzly bears. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries estimate around 17,000 black bears in the area, though bear attacks are still uncommon. Typically, bears notice humans first and avoid contact.
When Cooksey and her son, Ellis, saw the bear on the trail standing on its hind legs, they attempted to flee. But the bear quickly caught up and clawed Cooksey’s back. As running proved ineffective, they slid down the mountainside to escape, but the bear pursued them. When the bear grabbed her leg, Cooksey delivered a powerful kick that sent the bear stumbling backward, giving them just enough time to break free. It's lucky she didn't skip leg day!
9. Surviving Another Day
Wildlife photographers, unsurprisingly, often find themselves at the mercy of wild animals. Jim Cole, a photographer and bear enthusiast, survived being mauled not once, but twice by grizzly bears. After enduring several bluff charges—where bears feign an attack to scare off perceived threats—one grizzly finally caught him in Glacier National Park, Alaska, biting his scalp and arm. Years later, Cole encountered a female grizzly during a shoot, which swiped at his face, leaving him blind in one eye.
Though Cole survived both attacks, he passed away shortly after the second. Unlike Timothy Treadwell, the self-styled 'grizzly man,' Cole did not meet his end at the paws of a bear. Instead, he succumbed to heart issues. Despite the brutal encounters, his love for these animals never wavered, and his goal was to protect them for as long as he lived.
8. The Futile Shovel
Nic Patrick from Cody, Wyoming, found himself facing a mother grizzly while working on his property. He had accidentally startled the bear, prompting a defensive attack—a common trigger for bear aggression. Armed with a shovel, he tried to defend himself, but it was ineffective when he swung it at her. After a few swipes to his face and a bite, the bear wandered off in the wrong direction. However, she had left her cubs on the other side of Patrick, and she quickly returned, smacking him again as she rushed back to her young.
Remarkably, Patrick made his way home after being attacked twice. While he sustained injuries to his limbs, the most significant loss was his nose. Initially, he felt anger toward the bear, but his perspective shifted over time. After weeks in a Denver hospital, Patrick realized the bear wasn't to blame. Instead, he held himself accountable for not considering the possibility of a bear wandering onto his property, ultimately concluding that the bear was merely defending her young.
7. Find Shelter
In a heart-stopping encounter, two Canadian women narrowly avoided a black bear attack. One of the women, Nikki Latta, tried to escape by jumping off a nearby ledge, but she refused to leave her friend, Lindsay Jones, behind. Once Jones managed to overcome her fear, they both attempted to confuse the bear by alternately making noise. Latta had previously learned in survival training that running from bears is ineffective, though panic and adrenaline had already taken control.
After a harrowing struggle, Jones managed to find a hunter's cabin and crawled inside through a high window, smashing the glass to gain entry. Latta, too, found the same cabin, and the two women took refuge inside while the bear tried to break in. Experts agree that victims of black bear attacks should seek shelter, as black bears do not stop attacking once they’ve started. Latta and Jones were incredibly fortunate to find the cabin and have a working cell phone. They contacted 911 and were rescued.
6. Play Dead, Then Escape
Todd Orr, a fortunate survivor from Montana, crossed paths with a grizzly bear. With both black bears and grizzlies common in Montana, Orr had taken precautions, loudly announcing his presence as he walked. However, he accidentally encountered a bear that decided to make him her target. Even bear spray couldn’t stop the attack. Orr’s only option was to drop to the ground and use his arms to shield his head and neck.
After the initial attack, Orr tried to make a run for his truck, but the grizzly wasn’t finished with him. She attacked again, more viciously, nearly scalping him. Despite the brutal second attack, Orr managed to escape and drove himself to the hospital. His story demonstrates that, even with precautions in place, survival can still come down to a desperate fight for life.
5. The Power of Pepper Spray
Like nature photographers, hunters often find themselves in bear territory. Mark Matheny and his hunting partner, Dr. Fred Bahnson, were no different. During a bow-hunting trip, they encountered a mother grizzly with her cubs. When Matheny attempted to shout and scare her away, she charged instead, aiming to maul his face. His panicked screams only escalated the situation.
Bahnson did everything he could to divert the bear’s attention, but she turned back toward Matheny for another attack. Matheny played dead, hoping to survive the assault, but it wasn’t until Bahnson managed to distract the bear and spray her in the face with regular pepper spray that she finally retreated. This harrowing experience led Matheny to leave his contracting job and found UDAP, a company focused on creating bear-repellent products. Despite the fearsome encounter, Matheny turned it into a chance to help others stay safe.
4. Shout for Help
Johan and Jenna Otter, a father-daughter hiking duo, came dangerously close to death while vacationing in Glacier National Park. When Jenna unexpectedly encountered a female grizzly on the trail, Johan bravely stepped between his daughter and the charging bear. In a desperate attempt to protect her, he jumped down the mountainside to escape. While many think bears can't run uphill or downhill, they can, and it wasn’t until Johan nearly fell off a cliff that the bear shifted its focus to Jenna instead.
Severely mauled, Johan couldn’t reach Jenna, but she played dead until the bear finally left. After shouting for help for hours, they were discovered by a passing hiker who took them for medical care. Johan lost most of his scalp, and Jenna sustained serious injuries, but both survived. Remarkably, Johan plans to return to the same trail where the attack occurred and finish the hike he started—a testament to his resilience. He explained that completing the hike is part of his healing process.
3. Fight Back with a Knife
In Kodiak Island, Alaska, hunter Gene Moe found himself in a life-or-death struggle with a hungry brown bear while he was field dressing a buck. Treating the encounter like a boxing match, Moe dodged and weaved, swinging his knife at the bear. The bear fought back fiercely, scratching and throwing him, but Moe stabbed the bear several times in the neck and delivered a punch just below her eye. Finally, after walking away, the bear gave him the chance to shoot her dead.
Moe’s story was met with skepticism until a taxidermist confirmed the bear's body. Despite being in his sixties at the time of the attack, Moe made a remarkable recovery and returned to his normal life shortly after the incident. While playing dead might be the recommended survival tactic, Moe proves that sheer determination, a strong will, and a well-timed punch can defy the odds and save your life.
2. Shove Your Arm Down Its Throat
We've heard of incredible acts of strength and quick thinking saving people from bear attacks, but none are quite like the story of Chase Dellwo. While hunting elk, Dellwo encountered a grizzly that had been napping and wasn’t too pleased about being disturbed. After the bear took a few bites, it seemed like the end for the bowhunter. However, recalling an article he read about large animals having a strong gag reflex, Dellwo decided to give it a shot rather than face certain death. He shoved his arm into the bear’s mouth. To his surprise, the bear backed off and walked away.
Still able to move, Dellwo eventually found his brother, who quickly rushed him to the hospital. Although he had escaped the bear, Dellwo was severely injured and needed multiple stitches and staples. While he may have lost parts of his head and limbs, he certainly gained a hefty dose of swagger.
1. Emergency Beacons
One of the most terrifying and bizarre grizzly bear attacks occurred in 2011. A group of seven young men were participating in a month-long survival course in Alaska when they encountered a grizzly. Joshua Berg was the first to face the bear while heading back to their campsite, and he was viciously attacked while the others scattered for cover. Another student, Sam Gottsegen, tried to help Berg but ended up getting mauled himself. Noah Allaire was also attacked when the bear returned for a second round, biting and clawing at his torso.
One boy sustained only minor injuries before the bear finally retreated. The group found themselves stranded in the wilderness, with three of the boys in critical condition. Equipped with a beacon for distress signals, they activated it and managed to get the injured into a tent. Hours passed before help arrived, as the first helicopter could only carry a few at a time. Eventually, all of the boys were rescued and made it to the hospital, where they survived to share their incredible story. What makes this incident so remarkable is that bear attacks on large groups are extremely rare. Typically, hikers are advised to travel in groups, as a larger group tends to be more intimidating to bears.
