Stranger Among Bears

[Tordon22]

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/stranger-among-bears/


Saw this show the other night and was wondering if anyone else had, and your thoughts on it?

For those who haven't seen the show, it's about a man (Charlie Vandergaw) who was an avid hunter, but gradually fell in love with the bears he killed. He liked them so much that he built a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness and spends as much time as possible there "observing" bears. For 20 years this guy has illegally fed bears on his property and tried to understand their nature. Much like the other bear man (ex-bear man I suppose) Timothy Treadwell he interacts, touches, and even plays with these wild bears with only a stick for protection.

During the show, the camera man filming this guy tries to interact with the bears without Charlie's aid so they become comfortable with him/his camera noise. And what does he do? Gets between a mother black bear and her cub by following the cub up a tree. Of course the mother doesn't like this, follows him up the tree and gives him a bite on the ankle. Luckily she then runs off instead of continuing to protect her babe. The cameraman ends up with two huge gashes on his ankle and is unable to walk for a few days. When questioned about his own gashes and cuts, Charlie simply calls it "bear rash". At the end of the episode it previews the next by showing Charlie walk up to a large grizzly who gives him a false charge. Undeterred he continues up to the massive bear and offers his hand to be smelled, much like you would to a dog that approaches you. The bear takes a big chomp at Charlies hand. He pulls it away in time and sharply prods the griz with his stick as the scene ends.

I don't know about you guys but the whole thing seems crazy to me. I think there is a big difference between respecting/admiring a wild animal and forcing your way into its personal space. It seems like Charlie is just asking to get mauled. Apparently the feedings and his knowledge of the bears help though, as after 20 years without a major incident he is either very lucky or doing something right.


-Zap

[Marauding Conan]

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/stranger-among-bears/


Saw this show the other night and was wondering if anyone else had, and your thoughts on it?

For those who haven't seen the show, it's about a man (Charlie Vandergaw) who was an avid hunter, but gradually fell in love with the bears he killed. He liked them so much that he built a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness and spends as much time as possible there "observing" bears. For 20 years this guy has illegally fed bears on his property and tried to understand their nature. Much like the other bear man (ex-bear man I suppose) Timothy Treadwell he interacts, touches, and even plays with these wild bears with only a stick for protection.

During the show, the camera man filming this guy tries to interact with the bears without Charlie's aid so they become comfortable with him/his camera noise. And what does he do? Gets between a mother black bear and her cub by following the cub up a tree. Of course the mother doesn't like this, follows him up the tree and gives him a bite on the ankle. Luckily she then runs off instead of continuing to protect her babe. The cameraman ends up with two huge gashes on his ankle and is unable to walk for a few days. When questioned about his own gashes and cuts, Charlie simply calls it "bear rash". At the end of the episode it previews the next by showing Charlie walk up to a large grizzly who gives him a false charge. Undeterred he continues up to the massive bear and offers his hand to be smelled, much like you would to a dog that approaches you. The bear takes a big chomp at Charlies hand. He pulls it away in time and sharply prods the griz with his stick as the scene ends.

I don't know about you guys but the whole thing seems crazy to me. I think there is a big difference between respecting/admiring a wild animal and forcing your way into its personal space. It seems like Charlie is just asking to get mauled. Apparently the feedings and his knowledge of the bears help though, as after 20 years without a major incident he is either very lucky or doing something right.


-Zap

You just wait... sooner of later, his luck will run out.

[Tec]

You just wait... sooner of later, his luck will run out.

Yea, this guy is a walking bear turd.

[Tordon22]

I agree that his luck will most likely run out at some point, but 20 years. That's a helluva streak.

[Rich46yo]

He says 20 years. Who knows how long he's been coo'ing to Griz. Remember that Treadwell cat had a pretty good run to before he got 'et.

I think these types are a bunch of screwballs personally. Many of us have learned how to respect nature and her critters with a hands off policy. These guys, the bear guy, the Lion girl, the chimp girl, the snake guy, the croc guy, the Go'rilla girl, all have a hands on approach that appears mostly driven by the need for fame and the almighty $$.

Put it this way. Who's going to pay to watch crocs times and time again? Where'as many will pay for a show that highlights some guy with a accent leaping on them, poking them in the eye, and then stomping on them? Its a circus act driven by greed for either fame, money, or both.

Now we have another bear guy. The last one caused the death of an innocent woman that was with him and the death of two precious Grizzly Bears. Will we have to put another bear down due to this nut job. What if the thing eats him and gets a taste for human? Eventually his luck is going to run out. I remember Treadwell used to say how he'd like to end up as bear scat but I wonder if he was thinking that when that Bear was eating him alive. There was another bear guy 'et in Russia too, "not a job with a real bright future".

Well we've had 2 bear guys 'et. Both the chimp & Go'rilla girls got kilt. The Croc guy got speared. The snake guy was light in the loafers. And one of The Born Free Lion cubs grew up to be a man killer. I think the writings on the wall and personally I hope this new bear guy is arrested before he gets an innocent person, or a bear, killed by his stupidity.

[bcadoo]

They will end up renaming the show 'Bear Chow'

[Curval]

Darwin candidate IMHO.  Poking grizzleys with sticks ain't so smart.

[Meatwad]

They will end up renaming the show 'Bear Chow'

 

[kamori]

I Live in MONTANA here's a Joke I like to tell:

A Montanan Runs across a Californian getting ready to take a Day Hike into the back Country.

The Montanan watches the Californian putting on his Bear spray and bells and is amazed at this. The Montanan approaches the Californian and asks " Why are you putting on all that stuff "?
 
The Californian replies" The Bells let the bear know that your coming and if I'm charged I have Bear spray to ward off the attack"

Then the Montanan asks "Do you know how to tell Black Bear SCAT from grizzly Bear SCAT ? The Californian Replies " NO" so, the Montanan proceeds to tell him. " The Black Bear SCAT will have Berries , Bugs, and assorted Leaves and Smells like SCAT.

Than Californian asks if the Grizzly SCAT is the Same.

The Montanan says No Grizzly SCAT is easier to identify, It contains little Bells, and smells like Cinnamon. The Californian gets in his car and goes back where he came from.....

KAM

[boxboy28]

Kam  you gotta stop scaring them...... watch them get et'!

 

[crazyivan]

I just wanted to pet the pretty polar bear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_4PsQbq_Sw