It was late and I was just getting ready for bed. Suddenly there was a loud noise. It sounded like the roof was falling in. I immediately went to the living room and looked out the bay window. As I peered out I was shocked to be staring into the eyes of a big bear’s head not two feet away from me, about seven feet off the ground. It was tearing at the cedar siding under the bay window. I was in a panic, did not know what to do. I did not have the confidence to get a gun and walk around the house to shoot the bear. I called my husband on the cell phone who was gone bird hunting. As I frantically recounted the situation to my husband the bear continued his attack on the house. As I was on the phone I looked out the window again and he was back on all fours prowling around below me. I called my neighbours who live up the road. They arrived about 30 minutes later and tried to follow the bear tracks as there was a light skiff of snow. They were able to follow it into the back pasture but the bear was gone.
If I had felt confident as a hunter and using a gun I would have gone outside and shot the bear. At the time I had no idea that it would be illegal to kill that bear. To think that it would be illegal and I could have ended up in court and paid thousands of dollars in fines because I was trying to protect my property is really upsetting. If you don’t agree I guess you had to be there. We have repeatedly had grizzlies on our property.It was late and I was just getting ready for bed. Suddenly there was a loud noise. It sounded like the roof was falling in. I immediately went to the living room and looked out the bay window. As I peered out I was shocked to be staring into the eyes of a big bear’s head not two feet away from me, about seven feet off the ground. It was tearing at the cedar siding under the bay window. I was in a panic, did not know what to do. I did not have the confidence to get a gun and walk around the house to shoot the bear. I called my husband on the cell phone who was gone bird hunting. As I frantically recounted the situation to my husband the bear continued his attack on the house. As I was on the phone I looked out the window again and he was back on all fours prowling around below me. I called my neighbours who live up the road. They arrived about 30 minutes later and tried to follow the bear tracks as there was a light skiff of snow. They were able to follow it into the back pasture but the bear was gone.
If I had felt confident as a hunter and using a gun I would have gone outside and shot the bear. At the time I had no idea that it would be illegal to kill that bear. To think that it would be illegal and I could have ended up in court and paid thousands of dollars in fines because I was trying to protect my property is really upsetting. If you don’t agree I guess you had to be there. We have repeatedly had grizzlies on our property.
-- Marlene Walchuk
