Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: eskimo2 on April 15, 2007, 04:17:09 PM

Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: eskimo2 on April 15, 2007, 04:17:09 PM
He hangs out with wild bears

(http://www.adn.com/photo/2007/04/15/2759374-400-x-266.jpg)

(http://charyna.homeunix.com/Images/Blog/ak_bearback_riding.jpg)

(http://charyna.homeunix.com/Images/Blog/ak_campfire_bears.jpg)

Fifty miles northwest of Alaska's largest city, the roadless hills and boggy swamps of the Yentna River Valley have for years hidden the secret of bear man Charlie Vandergaw.

Far from the bear-viewing spectacle of Katmai National Park, and farther still from the hype that made a celebrity of the late Timothy Treadwell, a retired Anchorage science teacher has quietly transformed himself into what Treadwell only dreamed of being: a true bear whisperer.

What goes on each summer at Vandergaw's remote homestead is so far from the ordinary as to be almost unbelievable. Visitors tell of him petting black and brown bears, playing with grizzly cubs while sows stand by, sitting on bears and teaching them tricks. His own photographs show even more. They capture him easing to within feet of breeding grizzlies and nursing an injured brown bear.

Anchorage Daily News Story (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/story/8796365p-8697579c.html)
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: john9001 on April 15, 2007, 04:32:10 PM
breaking news
a alaskan retired high school teacher was eaten by "pet" bears yesterday, film at 11.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: AquaShrimp on April 15, 2007, 04:42:50 PM
Even if this guy has found a system which will allow him to get close to bears and touch them, it will not work 100% of the time.  If an animal has the physical power to hurt another animal, eventually it will.  This is why zoo animals kill zoo handlers, killer whales and dolphins kill their trainers, and why grizzly bears killed the grizzly man.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: rogwar on April 15, 2007, 04:58:29 PM
Notice the electric cattle prod....lol.

Interesting story but I'd rather bears be afraid of humans. Humans are somewhat delicate as well when compared to the power of any of those bears mentioned from black on upward.

This guys days are numbered if he continues. Of course all of our days are numbered anyway.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: SteveBailey on April 15, 2007, 04:59:58 PM
Is that a cattle prod?  I think I'd feel better w/ a howitzer.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: eskimo2 on April 15, 2007, 05:07:52 PM
Yea, it's just a matter of time.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: Chairboy on April 15, 2007, 05:50:59 PM
Sounds like he's setting those bears up to be shot.  If they think humans are friendly, they'll go up to houses.

Not a service.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: eskimo2 on April 15, 2007, 06:06:06 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
Sounds like he's setting those bears up to be shot.  If they think humans are friendly, they'll go up to houses.

Not a service.


Quite possible, but he is somewhat issolated on a fly-in only homestead:

(http://www.adn.com/ips_rich_content/739-15HomesteadLoc.gif)

BTW, I used to spend my summers in Houston; I owned a business there.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: Ripsnort on April 15, 2007, 07:31:45 PM
Picture #2 is a "Caption this picture" contest.:rofl

What's that red thing next to the feller in Pic 3?
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: DYNAMITE on April 15, 2007, 08:15:22 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
Picture #2 is a "Caption this picture" contest.:rofl

What's that red thing next to the feller in Pic 3?


That's exactly what went through my mind Rip... :rofl :rofl


I think that red thingy is a cattle prod...
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: Meatwad on April 15, 2007, 09:04:42 PM
Its a "get me another beer" prod :D
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: DiabloTX on April 15, 2007, 09:15:42 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Meatwad
Its a "get me another bear" prod :D


Fixed!
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: SunKing on April 15, 2007, 09:19:03 PM
So are they going to kill these bears now that this guy  has  taken the fear of humans away... good move.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: texasmom on April 16, 2007, 12:29:50 AM
my kindergarten teacher recently wrote a book about binky the bear (the one there at anchorage) but I think that's about as close to a teacher/bear deal.
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: lagger86 on April 16, 2007, 06:57:35 AM
I saw that guy on the discovery channel, he really likes bears....alot!!!!
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: DREDIOCK on April 16, 2007, 08:49:49 AM
I wouldnt call him nuts
I'd call him an idiot.

Anywone remember that other kooky wildlife nut who thought he could live with bears?

It was on TV as a documentory and you could see him progressivly going mad as the show progressed.

The outcome was quite predictable
The Bears eventually ate him

What we see here is someone else lining up to become a snack
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: Halo on April 16, 2007, 09:20:16 AM
Bearly able to resist typing a
wisecrack
limerick
obit
Title: You know your old high school teacher is nuts when…
Post by: Nilsen on April 16, 2007, 09:23:26 AM
Looks to me like those bears are playing with their food.