HOOK AND FUR: Bear bites man, man gets bear

By Bob Brown

When it comes to hunting stories, bear hunting is always interesting reading.

Every hunter likes to share stories about their experiences afield, and many hunters like to read about those experiences, especially when it comes to incidents where bear gets man, man gets bear.

The Idaho Fish and Wildlife reported one of those incidents happened in the southwest region of the state a few weeks ago. Evin Oneale, regional conservation educator for the department, reported Marvin Jennings, 43, of Boise and his uncle from Lynnwood, Wash. were hunting over a bear bait site on Clear Creek in Boise County, On the evening of May 28, the two men observed a large black bear at dusk approaching their site.

The uncle shot and wounded the animal which ran some distance away. Jennings tracked and found the bear. and while starting to approach it, the bear suddenly charged, knocking Jennings to the ground.

Man and beast began tumbling down a hill. The bear bit Jennings multiple times on the left arm and leg before Jennings dispatched the animal with a handgun.

Jennings was airlifted to a hospital, where he remains hospitalized but is expected to recover.

Idaho Fish and Game officials examined the bear and determined by tooth wear that it was a very old but healthy bear. T

here are a couple of lessons to be learned here: In any hunting situation, the golden rule is never shoot until sure of your target. And shot placement is essential.

I think most hunters would agree there are times when it is better to pass up a shot than make a bad one.

Fishing notes

• The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced that starting June 5, anglers can catch and keep white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River for the first time in three years.

The fishery will be open for six days from the mouth of the river to the Wauna power lines (downstream from Longview) on June 7, June 10, June 12, June 14 and June 17.

Anglers won't be allowed to retain sturgeon after 2 p.m. on any of those days.

The daily limit is one fish measuring 44 to 50 inches from the snout to the fork in its tail. An annual limit of two white sturgeon, regardless of where they were caught, will also be in effect.

Fishery managers currently estimate there are 165,600 legal-size fish in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam. The harvest guidelines for the fishery is 3,000 sturgeon.

• June 10-11 is Free Fishing Weekend in Washington. On those two days, fishing licenses won't be required, but catch record cards are still required to fish for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, Puget Sound Dungeness crab, and halibut (if open). All other rules still apply, including seasons.

Also, an Access Pass and Discover Pass won't be required.

Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be reached at robertb1285@centurylink.net.