Don't Swim in Creeks in Florida

This is a tragedy from start to finish. Florida woman who was torn apart by alligator as boyfriend tried to save her is named for first time

I am really tired of reading stories like this.

A 31-year-old woman has been named after she died in a horrific alligator attack.

Brittany Clark had been swimming in Florida with her boyfriend when she was brutally killed by the reptile.

She died after the gator tore off both of her arms in a death roll.

The devastating incident occurred when Ms Clark, her boyfriend, and an unnamed friend were swimming in "shoulder-deep water" in the Econlockhatchee River.

To quote SiGraybeard from a few years back:

Don’t go swimming if you know there are gators in the water. Corollary: if your map says “Florida” on it, and you’re in fresh water, there are gators in there. If it’s brackish or saltwater, there might be crocodiles with you.

Pro tip: There are always, and I do mean always, sharks at the beach. You may not see them; they out there.

I know it is hot, and that you go swimming in the Midwest, or the West, or New England, or wherever. Don't do it in Florida, unless it is in a designated area.

Hunter Shoots Charging Grizzly Bear

Some predators walk on 4 legs, and you are only an apex predator when you are armed. Hunter shoots charging grizzly bear in defense of life near Cave Falls Road | Idaho Fish and Game

A hunter and his son were hunting black bear in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, near Ashton, Idaho, when a Grizzly charged them.

The hunters were sitting on the edge of a meadow when a grizzly began crossing it and seemed to pick up their scent. The grizzly then changed direction and headed directly toward the two hunters. As the hunters attempted to alert the grizzly to their presence, it began to charge directly toward them. The man fired at the charging bear with his sidearm before quickly switching to his hunting rifle, killing it within 5 yards of where he was standing.

Ashton, Idaho, is near West Yellowstone. It is about 220 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah, or about 110 miles south of Bozeman, Montana.

The Idaho Fish and Game department has determined that the grizzly was shot in self-defense.

After conducting a thorough investigation, it was determined that the hunter acted in defense of life, as he and his son were being charged by a bear from a close distance.

Click thru for details, and info about how to deal with things in bear country.

You Are Only An Apex Predator, When Armed

From The New York Times: Hiker Killed in Suspected Mountain Lion Attack, Colorado’s First in Decades

Hikers found a woman’s body on a trail on Crosier Mountain in Northern Colorado, with a mountain lion nearby, according to a statement on Thursday from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which is investigating the death. The hikers scared off the animal by throwing rocks, before confirming the woman was dead.

Of course even if you're armed, you might be killed by a mountain lion. They are ambush predators. Still, being armed would give you a better chance of survival.

Mountain lions, though elusive and solitary, are widespread in the American West, where they are known to prey on pets and livestock. Still, attacks on humans — especially fatal ones — are incredibly rare.

There is also mention of a fatal attack in California in 2024, so I suppose that was the last recorded fatal, mountain-lion attack.

I am not saying that you should not get out and enjoy nature. I am saying you should be aware of the risks. Life is full of risks. You might slip in the shower. You might meet a drunk driver coming home from the grocery store. You might be attacked by a mountain lion if you run in the mountains. None of these things would be your fault, or are under you control. You could stop bathing. You could never leave your home. That is not living.

A Mother Protects Her Children

As she should Mississippi woman kills escaped monkey fearing for her children's safety - ABC News

Jessica Bond Ferguson said she was alerted early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who said he thought he had seen a monkey running in the yard outside their home near Heidelberg, Mississippi. She got out bed, grabbed her firearm and her cellphone and stepped outside where she saw the monkey about 60 feet (18 meters) away.

Bond said she and other residents had been warned about diseases that the escaped monkeys carried so she fired her gun.

Don't mess with this woman.

“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond, who has five children ranging in age from 4 to 16, told The Associated Press. “I shot at it and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up and that's when he fell.”

The powers that be are claiming that the monkeys are not contagious, but they are aggressive.

Click thru for the details.

There are Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

And then there are anti-gun and government statistics. Ben and Bawb's Blog: Bear Spray Versus Firearms

There are other old adages which are also apropos, such as, “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure.” And my personal favorite: “Torture numbers and they will confess to anything.”

Although the pepper spray advocates always say studies or even numerous studies prove the effectiveness of bear spray, when you seek out this plethora of studies (plural) they pretty much boil down into a single study (singular) that has appeared in a couple of different forms. The 2012 study that started it all was researched primarily by BYU professor Tom Smith and author Stephen Herrero and published in the Journal of Wildlife Management under the title of “Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska.”

And there are problems with that study. Click thru of the details. I will note, as Bawb does...

Consider that the researchers found fewer than 200 incidents of bear attacks involving guns in Alaska over a 126-year period to counter-balance the pepper spray accounts. Nor were these incidents random samples; they were deliberately, carefully, and selectively cherry-picked.

It isn't hard to find more firearm v bear incidents. Those details are presented.

If I lived in an area where bears were an issue, I would carry something really big, like a BFR (that's an actual firearm, that is not called Big F-ing Revolver, but Big Frame Revolver) in something like .45-70 government. (Bears are tough, or so I've been told.)

Anyway, click thru. (A photo of a random bear is above.)

Another Grizzly Shot in Self-Defense

If you're going into the wild, it is important to know how to survive. Hunter shoots grizzly bear in self-defense on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest | Idaho Fish and Game

On the morning of Oct. 18, a big game hunter shot and killed a male grizzly bear in self-defense after it charged him from a short distance away while hunting in the North Antelope flats area of Island Park on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Island Park, Idaho in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest is about a 300 mile drive north of Salt Lake City, Utah, or about a 330 mile drive north northeast of Boise, Idaho.

There is a list of things to do to be safe in bear country. (The image above is of a random grizzly bear.)

Hunter versus Grizzly Bear

Are you going into the wild? You need to be prepared for four-footed threats. Hunter charged by grizzly bear in North Idaho - East Idaho News

A hunter in the Selkirk Recovery Zone was charged by a grizzly.

The hunter, who wasn’t injured, fired four shots in self-defense, according to a Facebook post from the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office.

Neither the bear nor any blood were immediately found. The post said it’s unclear if the bear was hit by any of the rounds, but that there’s “a high likelihood” that an injured grizzly is in the area.

So what would you do if confronted by a large predator? You are only an apex predator if you are armed, and know what you're doing.

The picture is of an unrelated bear.

Bear Killed in Florida Home

Fall is when bears are searching for food. 'Pure fear for me': Bear shot dead in bathroom after causing chaos in Central Florida home

How it started:

A quiet rural neighborhood off Ponderosa Avenue turned into a scene of chaos Friday when a bear broke into a home and was shot dead inside the bathroom.

Zeke Clark says it all started when a bear wandered through his garage door, which then automatically shut behind it, trapping the animal inside.

"You can tell the bear freaked out," Clark said. "There was a bunch of damage in here because he could not get out."

From there the bear ended up in a bathroom, and the homeowner closed the door. As the bear was trying to get out of the bathroom, he shot it. It is more complicated than that. Click thru for details.

Lake County, Florida is north and west of Orlando. The county actually wraps around Orange County a bit. Orlando is in Orange County. If you drive about 15 miles north from downtown Orlando, you will be in Lake County. Also if you drive a similar distance west of downtown Orlando, you will find yourself in Lake County.

The homeowner is upgrading all of his security in hopes this doesn't happen again.

The Florida Wildlife Commission put the following into an email:

FWC Law Enforcement documented evidence of damage to the exterior doors consistent with entry by a bear," said the FWC spokesperson. FWC Bear Management staff will canvass the community for awareness and education, as well as monitor the area for additional bear activity of concern.

There are recommendations for dealing with the active bears. Click thru.

Four-Footed Threat in North Carolina

Bear interactions seem to be more frequent. Or maybe I am just paying attention. Asheville resident kills black bear in self-defense, NC wildlife says

A North Asheville resident shot and killed a female black bear Aug. 10 in self-defense after it broke through the door and came into their home multiple times over the previous week, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

This happened just over a month ago, but the cogs of bureaucracy have finally said it was justified.

A resident, whom the wildlife commission is keeping anonymous, reported on Aug. 9 that an adult black bear with four cubs had broken through their door into the home three times — once by “ripping the locked back door open,” Gurney said. The bear had attempted to get in another two times but was unsuccessful.

Wildlife staff who were investigating found the resident was following BearWise safety tips, with no unsecured attractants or food around the home, according to the commission’s statement.

Click thru for the details.

Homeowner Versus Black Bear

Threats come in various shapes. Homeowner forced to take drastic action after waking up to unlikely intruder in kitchen: 'Immediate danger'

In New Mexico, a man was sleeping when he awoke to an intruder in his home. But it wasn't human. A black bear had found its way into his home near Hermits Peak, where it was destroying his kitchen in search of food. KOAT reported that the man got his rifle and shot the animal after it had broken a window and torn up a cabinet.

If you click thru there is a photo of the window, though not of the cabinet. There is also some discussion about safety around bears. The Game and Fish spokesman thought he needed to say that they don't charge people for defending themselves. My guess is that it was in answer to a question from a professional journalist.

There are also some facts about conservation from various parts of the world.

Self-defense is a human right.

A Bear Is In Your House. What Do You Do?

What you are going to do will depend on what tools you have at your disposal.

To start, there are two stories of a bear breaking into houses. One homeowner was armed with an AR-15; one was not armed. Two stories that include video.

This is what it looks like when a bear breaks into your home, and you don't have a gun.

This is Colion Noir's video Armed Homeowner With AR-15 Defends Against Bear Breaking In At Night.

But here's the part anti-gunners don't want to admit. This isn't some freak occurrence. Bears break into people's homes all the time. In New Mexico, a man killed a bear that broke in and started tearing through his house.

There are a couple of additional examples of this happening given in the video. The video is 7 minutes.

The image at the top is from Wikimedia. Click this link for additional information.

Black Bear Breaks Into Home

The Left loves to say threats of violence can be met with "Just give them what they want." What does a Black Bear want? Black bear shot after entering Sevierville home, TWRA says

This happened at around 1:30 PM on Matt Road. The homeowner said he was asleep and was woken up by noises coming from the kitchen.

“Upon investigation, he discovered a black bear that had entered the home

It had previously entered an outbuilding on the property. When the bear wouldn't leave, the old man shot it with a shotgun. It later died.

A [Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency] wildlife officer investigated and determined no violations had occurred.

So what does the gun-hating part of the Left have to say about interactions with wild animals?

This still counts as self-defense as far as I'm concerned. (The image is of a random shotgun, which I believe is a Mossberg 590, though I'm not sure.)

Bear Attacks - A Quick Search

I was looking for a particular story, and not having any luck, so I changed to a more general search term. I was surprised at the number of stories. This is basically from one week, and I didn't record everything, because the incidents started repeating.

• British Columbia. Woman saves husband's life with bear spray during grizzly attack in wilderness

  Conservation officers determine bears acted defensively after being surprised on trail

• Anchorage Alaska. Man mauled by black bear while walking dog, marks 2nd attack in 1 week: Police

  The man deployed bear spray, but was still injured, authorities said.

• New Mexico. New Mexico man fatally shoots black bear that broke into his trailer home: ‘Came in, I f–king killed him’

  A man in New Mexico used a rifle he kept at the end of his bed to kill a black bear after he nearly slept through the predator’s break-in.

• North Carolina. Weaverville man sent to ER after bear encounter on front porch: Don't feed, officials say

  The home's residents told staff they regularly see the bear on the property, likely because they feed feral cats around the porch.

• Suburban Washington, D.C. Officials respond after 800-pound bear wanders into suburban neighborhood — here's what happened

  The bear in Herndon was ultimately tranquilized, but only after it climbed a second tree. It was then successfully relocated.

• Wisconsin. Woman fights for life after stunning wild animal attack outside home: 'They're usually afraid of people'

  A 69-year-old woman has been upgraded to stable condition after fighting for her life following a black bear attack outside her home in rural Wisconsin

• California. Bear trouble in Sierra Madre: After the Eaton fire, home invasions rise sharply

  Sierra Madre, Claremont, Monrovia and other communities nestled just below the San Gabriel Mountains are a hot spot for human-bear conflict reports.

As you can imagine, the reactions in different places are very different. In California the locals are wringing their hands waiting to be saved by Sacramento, but the budget was cut for wildlife management. Can't imagine what they are spending money on.

The story I was looking for turned out to be from May, which was why I couldn't find it. (One of my searches kept giving me a video by Florida Wildlife Commission officers, which made me think it was more recent than that.

That story is Black bear attacks, kills man and dog in Collier County, Florida. What we know

Florida Fish and Wildlife is investigating after a man and a dog died in a suspected black bear attack on May 5, 2025, just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Collier County.

At 7:07 a.m., the Collier County Sheriff's Office received a call regarding a potential bear mauling on State Road 29, between Naples and Everglades City.

Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area extends west roughly from about 20 miles from the western edge of Dade County and Broward County to about 55 miles west of those counties. It encompasses Big Cypress Swamp, which is just west of the Everglades, mostly. Alligator Alcatraz is on the south edge the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. (Alligator Alcatraz is housed at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. It is probably about 2 miles from the Everglades proper.)

This Is Why I Always Stayed In the Boat

There are always sharks in the water, you just can't see them. Shark bites man near Bean Point on Anna Maria Island

A man in his early 20s was bitten in the lower leg by a shark near Bean Point on the north end of Anna Maria Island on Sunday [July 27th], according to the West Manatee Fire Rescue District.

The time of day is interesting, because I always thought the middle of the afternoon was the safest time. Maybe there is no safe time. Though the Fire Marshall did say that dusk or dawn is when shark activity is greater.

The Manatee fire marshal said the victim got into the water from a boat and did not wade in from an Anna Maria Island Beach.

The boater rushed the victim to the Kingfish ramp so he could be taken to a hospital.

He was in the water off the northern tip of Anna Maria Island when he was bitten on the lower leg.

Anna Maria Island is a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico America immediately south of the entrance to Tampa Bay. It is also just west of the entrance to the Manatee River. It has several beaches, including Bean Point, and a fair number of restaurants. Bean Point is on the extreme north end of the island. I lived about 10 miles from the island when I was living on my boat, and had the boat in a marina on the Manatee River.

The five year average for shark bites in Florida is 22 per year. Which is why I always tried to stay in the boat.

The Alligator Has the Right of Way

Tourists. Some are sensible; some are not. Florida alligator takes woman's shoe after she provoked him: 'Serves her right' | FOX 35 Orlando

A Florida alligator got some not-so-subtle revenge against a woman who threw her shoes at it – by taking one of them with him into the water.

There is video provided by a woman from the United Kingdom, on vacation in Florida. She seems shocked to see an alligator, but has the sense to stay away. Another group has less sense, and a woman throws her shoes at the gator. She loses one.

Authorities estimate that there are 1.3 million alligators in Florida. Stay alert. If you want to go swimming, find a nice clean pool, and stay out of the lakes. Be careful swimming! 20 most alligator-infested lakes in Florida

Over the last 10 years, Florida has averaged eight unprovoked bites per year that are serious enough to require professional medical treatment, according to the FWC.

While it is unusual for gators to attack people, one did kill a small child at a Disney resort several years ago

Lane Graves, 2, was grabbed by an alligator while playing in the water at the Seven Seas Lagoon at Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Orlando in 2016.

An 85-year-old woman was killed in 2023. Pets are more likely to be targeted.

That article ends with a list of 20 lakes, and other bodies of water, and the estimated alligator population.

SiGraybeard's advice from a few years back is still good.

When in doubt, remember rule #1. [Rule 1 = The alligator has the right of way.] And remember two things. First, a gator can sprint faster than you can run for short distances. They're ambush-style predators and not likely to just attack you on land. If they're hungry, you're close and not aware, I don't rule it out. Second, the gators have learned how to climb fences.

If you are near fresh, or brackish water in Florida, there are gators around. If you're near salt water, there are probably sharks in that water, and there may be American Crocodiles, if you are in the extreme southern part of the mainland.

The original incident at the top took place in Kissimmee, Florida, which is just south of Orlando. It is a popular place for tourists to stay when visiting The Mouse™ because there are homes and condos available for rent like hotels. Better than Airbnb because most of them have professional management companies to handle the maintenance, and cleaning.

I wanted to call this Peak Florida, but these are definitely tourists.

Two Women Attacked by Dogs, One Is Dead

This is a park in Southern California, so being armed would never occur to these people, but there are 4 legged creatures that you might need to defend yourself from. Woman killed and another severely injured after dog mauling at Southern California park

San Bernardino police officers responded to a scene at Perris Hill Park on Thursday after receiving a call that someone was being attacked by dogs. Upon arrival, officers came across multiple canines, which they say may have been strays, as well as an injured woman who claimed to have been bitten, news outlets FOX 11 and the Los Angeles Times reported.

While an officer was helping the injured woman, two more dogs charged them. The officer shot one of them, killing it. It was a Pit Bull.

San Bernardino Animal Control — working alongside the San Bernardino Police Department — removed a total of 14 dogs from the park, the LA Times reported, citing a spokesperson for the police department.

Since these are apparently strays, or dogs that were abandoned in the park, I'm listing it as Wild Animal Encounter.

Mountain Lion on Camera in Backyard

The video is interesting but short. VIDEO: Mountain lion caught entering Brentwood homeowner's backyard - ABC7 San Francisco

So what would you do if you stumbled across a mountain lion in your back yard? Remember, the good people of California (and the Bay Area) think guns are uncivilized for the most part.

This is one big cat. Click thru for the video. It was caught briefly on security video. It is a fairly typical residential/suburban area, so it is a bit surprising.

I'm not sure there is a message with this story, except to point out that since it is California, no one recommends "shoot it with your firearm." Maybe you can't in California, maybe they value the cat's life above human life.

Brentwood, California is in Contra Costa County. It is about a 45 mile drive east of Oakland, and about a 25 mile drive west of Stockton. The Wiki lists it as being the the East San Francisco Bay area. I'm not sure I would have said that when I live in that part of the world.

Black Bear Encounter in Pennsylvania

I wonder what the gun-hating part of the Left would say he should have done? Tried to reason with it? Homeowner shoots bear in self-defense incident

A homeowner in McKean County killed a black bear in what is being labeled a self-defense shooting of the animal that would not leave their yard.

They tried to scare the bear off; it only retreated to the edge of their yard, and then it returned 20 minutes later, got to within 30 feet, and was acting aggressively. The resident shot the bear.

The homeowner did keep chickens, and they think that is what attracted the bear.

To deter bears, [State Game Warden Justin] Slomian said people should not leave their garbage cans or pet food outside. If you have livestock, he said electric fences work well to keep the predators away.

McKean County, Pennsylvania is about 120 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, or about 150 mile drive from Pittsburgh.

Self-defense is a human-right.

Mushroom Hunters Charged by Grizzly

This incident is from the middle of May, but it seems to have slipped through my news filters previously. ‘There Was No Time to Be Nervous,’ Says Montana Mushroom Hunter Who Shot Charging Grizzly

“We weren’t hunting bear,” says Lee, a 53-year-old retired attorney. “We just carry these guns when we’re down there in case. It just happened to be the ‘in case’ day that day.”

There was a Grizzly with a cub in the area. When she scented them, she charged.

It took eight bullets to put the sow down. Lee fired three rounds; Long shot five. They called a local game warden immediately to report the incident.

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks investigated the shooting and ruled it a case of self-defense.

There are lot of details, including what caliber he used, and how long it took for the gravity of the situation to sink in. Click thru.

Yes, There Are Bears in Florida

Gulf Breeze bear attack hospitalizes man on Joseph Cirlcle

A Santa Rosa County man was bitten by a bear while trying to protect his dog from the wild animal early in the morning on May 15.

After the attack, the bear left the property. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will place a trap, and if caught the bear will be killed. Relocation is not an option for bears that have become a safety risk.

The attack was the second in Florida in the last two weeks. Florida authorities found Robert Markel and his dog deceased on May 5 following a bear attack on Markel's property near Jerome, a small unincorporated community 30 miles east of Naples, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Gulf Breeze, Florida is about 3 miles across Pensacola Bay from Pensacola. It isn't on the barrier islands, it is still part of the mainland, just on a narrow strip of land, which you can reach by way of the US 98 bridge, also known as the Pensacola Bay Bridge, across the bay.

That was the first fatal bear attack in Florida's history.

When someone tells you that no one needs a weapon, ask what this man should have done? Or do they want everyone to end up dead?