Man Shoots Bear in Self-Defense, Faces Charges

Won't you think of the poor, bloodthirsty predators?

A 76-year-old Auburn man is facing charges after killing a bear in his backyard.

Richard Ahlstrand told WBZ-TV he was stocking his bird feeder Friday night when a bear about seven feet tall and 300-to-400 pounds started chasing him.

That's when he turned his shotgun on the bear.

"I didn't have time to aim through the sights, but I aimed in the direction of the head on this thing and I pulled the trigger before it got to me.  It just dropped," he said. …

"They got me set up now like I'm some kind of murderer.  And then the environmental guy told me 'You should have called me instead of shooting it.'  What was I going to do, say 'Mister Bear would excuse me please while I go make a phone call?'"

Comments

[sloopyinca]

The real tragedy of this story is that it isn't on H&R yet.

[tygreen101]

Actually, this may work to pro-second amendment people. Put the environmental guy on the stand. "Since you say I should have called you instead of shooting the bear. How long would it have taken for me to call you and you to show up? And then in 10 seconds, interrupt the guy and say, "I would be dead. Thank you for proving that you care more about the bear than human life." The environmental guy would spaz out and then ask him, "Am I wrong? Would I have lived long enough to pull out a cell phone and call you?"

It is a shame that this guy is being charged with anything.

[Ron]

I live 30 minutes from that area and the only reason to carry a gun while feeding your birds is because your baiting the bears so you intend to kill them, or their is a mountain lion known to be around, which their is in my personal neck of the woods or you live near pot growers which are a bigger problem then either the bears or the lions Oh MY.