Bear Attack at Port Renfew Marina

[HereFishyFishy]

Way to go Bruce! A local hero who fought off a bear with a gaff and a hammer as it attacked a man on the wharf at the Port Renfrew Marina this evening. The man attacked is said to be in serious but stable condition. He was medi-vac'd out. Bruce killed the bear! What a hero![8D]

 

[Charter Tofino]

seriously? Holly ****

 

[highlights]

Wow,thats some story!

I wondered when something like that was going to happen. Awful lot of fish guts around that wharf. Is it just rumour that the bin of guts is used to feed the bears to keep them at bay???


Hopefully the guy recovers with little long term damage.

 

[Dogbreath]

quote:Originally posted by highlights

....Awful lot of fish guts around that wharf. Is it just rumour that the bin of guts is used to feed the bears to keep them at bay???

I doubt it, the fact is that introducing all that decaying organic matter into the river is real bad news for fish (and against fisheries law) and while it's been a while since I was there it's not surprising the Marina wants guts taken down to the chuck to be disposed of.

We're all used to seeing Bears but they are unpredictable and can be dangerous hope that guy is OK.

 

[getbent]

Wow, that is unreal, good on him!!

 

[highlights]

quote:Originally posted by Dogbreath

quote:Originally posted by highlights

....Awful lot of fish guts around that wharf. Is it just rumour that the bin of guts is used to feed the bears to keep them at bay???

I doubt it, the fact is that introducing all that decaying organic matter into the river is real bad news for fish (and against fisheries law) and while it's been a while since I was there it's not surprising the Marina wants guts taken down to the chuck to be disposed of.

We're all used to seeing Bears but they are unpredictable and can be dangerous hope that guy is OK.

I see your point, and yet it is extremely vital for salmonid offspring to be nourished by decomposing fish matter in the rivers and streams that they are hatched. Mind you I do see fisheries being concerned in that area. There is no real movement other than tidal flow. That decomposing matter would simply deoxygenate the water creating a void where smolts are trying to gain some size before heading out of the bay.

 

[gradyboat]

That was great of Bruce!!!!!!!.............. I always like to think that I would react the same way in that situation ...........but there is no question that it takes a ton of nerve to stand in there with your gaff all the while repeating in your head oh sh*t oh sh*t oh sh*t but just staying in there and getting it done....

glad to hear that is worked out as well as it could have in that situation.......hope the guy heals up quick

GB

 

[marula]

Is that "Miller Time" Bruce?

 

[gradyboat]

not sure.........

 

[Last Chance]

quote:Originally posted by highlights

Wow,thats some story!

I wondered when something like that was going to happen. Awful lot of fish guts around that wharf. Is it just rumour that the bin of guts is used to feed the bears to keep them at bay???


Hopefully the guy recovers with little long term damage.

There was never a bear problem untill there was a gut bin being dumped across the river. I had a run in with the damn thing August 28 at 11:00 when trying to get my rig ready. Really eerie when you just see something black moving in the fog. Wtih all of the rotten weather and rotten fishing out there as of late, there have not been a lot of fish guts for the thing to eat, so it's going to try for something bigger.

The highlight of my last weekend out there was listening to it (the bear) dismantle the garbage bins 15 paces from my camper! I thought they were bringing a trap in for the damn thing, someone better let drive with a good rifle soon.

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com

 

[juandesooka]

A fine line between watching the cute bears across the river eating the free scraps, to them coming across the river looking for the good stuff.

Scary and sad...as they say, "a fed bear is a dead bear"

I hope the guy attacked is ok.

 

[Last Chance]

quote:

I see your point, and yet it is extremely vital for salmonid offspring to be nourished by decomposing fish matter in the rivers and streams that they are hatched. Mind you I do see fisheries being concerned in that area. There is no real movement other than tidal flow. That decomposing matter would simply deoxygenate the water creating a void where smolts are trying to gain some size before heading out of the bay.

Where the guts get dumped are not really a part of the "river" at all, its' a backwater slough that gets a little water exchange from a creek. It just creates a toxic, smelly soup that the gut bin was originally supposed to keep under control. The little smolts sure seem to love the guts .

EDIT> Out of simply idle curiosity, what would 5 pounds of rat poison mixed in with a couple of gallons of jam accidently left on the other side of the river do to a bear?

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com

 

[Charter Tofino]

Any more info on the story or in the news?Is bruce a member? Good on him.

 

[chris73]

And I thought the 320 lbs halibut fight would be the talk of the year! But now a 500 lbs bear on a gaff! I bet that required some skill...

 

[The Fish Assassin]

You know if thoose Elk down there are bothering anyone I could come and take care of it

But seriously, Hat's off to this Bruce guy. That's a story of a lifetime there. I do feel kinda bad for the bear though. Fed is dead is right! I know it is a freak accident and all but I think the Marina there should be held responsible for not disposeing of the waste properly. They make proper offal bins exactly for this type of problem perhaps they should have used one from the start?

 

[juandesooka]

Update on this, from the folks at the Marina:

-- guy was on the outside finger wharf, closest to other side of the river. Loading a fish into his cooler, bear saw him, swam across, and was on the dock in a flash. Guy tried to give fish to the bear, but the bear jumped into the boat and onto him.

-- several people on the dock jumped into the boat, hitting the bear with hammers and gaffs, bear didn't even notice. Finally a guy stabbed it, and it bled to death. All of those guys are heroes, this might have ended differently without them risking their lives.

-- guy was tended to by paramedic and nurse, some deep cuts, but otherwise it sounds like he's ok -- he wanted a smoke to calm down and asked for picture of the bear for later.

-- Marina has been reporting bear problems for weeks, Conservation Officers only brought in a trap in the last few days. Marina has been taking measures to deal with one particular garbage bear, tying up gut bin at night farther down river (and dumping in the bay, not on the river bank), chaining down garbage bins, etc. This bear was reported to be a different one than the one hanging around recently.

CHEK news just arrived there, so watch for the report this evening.

 

[highlights]

I'm with fish assassin on this one. Too bad it had to come to this for both involved. Person and bear.We are out in the middle of nowhere when we fish up in Renfrew. That is an awful lot of temptation for poor old smoky. Nonethe less what had to be done was done in a timely matter. Thank !@#$ a few good guys chipped in and risked their asses.

Hopefully the marina has learned something from this.

 

[Deewar25]

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=a7fd4848-1868-44bf-a5f7-8e2cfe045b57

 

[Terminator]

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a7fd4848-1868-44bf-a5f7-8e2cfe045b57

 

[Jackfish]

Rumour has it it went for Rex first but bite him in the wallet and broke off a couple of teeth, so it went for something more manageable[] On a more serious note hope the guy is not to badly hurt.

JF