Over the weekend, two hunters in Alaska learned firsthand that big game hunting poses some serious safety risks.
Alaska’s Department of Public Safety reports that on Saturday, the pair were hunting near Carter Lake on the Kenai Peninsula, roughly 100 miles south of Anchorage. They spotted a black bear on a ridge above them and shot it. The injured bear then rolled down the slope and straight toward the men, dislodging rocks along the way.
DPS reports that one of the hunters, William McCormick, was struck by both the tumbling bear and a rock. The 28-year-old sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. McCormick’s 19-year-old hunting partner, Zachary Tennyson, managed to walk away from the ordeal unscathed.
The 200-pound bear was killed, according to state officials.
The hunters are both in the military and are currently stationed near Anchorage at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a base that is shared by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.
At this time of year, bears in Alaska are preparing for hibernation and are therefore near their peak weight. Fully grown black bears reach up to 350 pounds, and grizzlies weigh up to 1,400 pounds.
This alarming incident highlights the very real risks that come along with big game hunting. Because of their size alone, bears are dangerous, as evidenced by the injuries caused to McCormick over the weekend. Bears are also known to become aggressive when provoked, and a human successfully outrunning or outclimbing one is practically unheard of.
In addition to presenting numerous safety hazards, bear hunting lacks practicality. Bear meat has a reputation for being unpalatable, and consuming undercooked bear meat can lead to a severe or fatal case of trichinosis. Therefore, it is rarely eaten, even by bear hunters.
The lesson? Leave the bears alone.
I hope these two inhumane killers will be prosecuted. are there no laws to protect innocent animals minding their own business. As far as I am concerned, these two should have gone the same way as the poor bear!
SERVES HIM RIGHT!
He got what he deserved!! And that goes for all you hunters out there!!!!
I do not feel sorry at the hunters crushed body. or his family
Kudos to the bear, its just a great pity that the bear died……should have been the gun-toting, trigger-happy, brain-dead hunter. The only good hunter is a dead one!!!!! Karma payback, isn’t it great…….
I agree. Karma’s a bitch!
LOVE ALL THOSE COMMENTS
Every once in a while the hunters get what they deserve. Maybe they will understand on some level what the bear went through.. Unfortunately, I have little sympathy for the hunter. I feel terrible for the bear.
Karma’s a bitch
I HAVE A CONFESSION- I NEVER FEEL SAD WHEN CRUEL HUNTERS- especially trophy hunters get hurt or killed. LEAVE BEARS, WOLVES, AND OTHER PRECIOUS CREATURES FREE TO ENJOY THE WILDERNESS AND PEACE.
LIVE BY THE SWORD- DIE BY THE SWORD. KARMA BABY KARMA
pity the other one got away rip black bear
THERE IS JUSTICE SOMETIME
Justice half served for the bear hunters. Too bad the other one didn’t get crushed too. Suffer on, murderer!
This is the first time justice is served hunter is cruel inflicted wounds and killed others spiece just for prides and enjoyment. You don’t enjoy on others suffering this brutal game must be banned. Server you right you ripped what you sow if only the bear be rescued and those hunters were dead
If they are both in the service, What Will they do with A dead Bear???? How very SAD, Trophies are really something that no one needs and a life was lost along with the bear!!!
This poor bear had every right to live and be left alone! As usual some gun-toting low-life trophy hunters ended this poor animal’s life for absolutely NO REASON. The fact that these two men are serving soldiers is even more abhorrent, they bring shame to their fellow men and unit!
The only reasons I can see for killing a wild animal is for survival and self protection of that of a loved one. Never for entertainment.
THIS POOR INNOCENT BEAUTIFUL BEAR DID NOT HAVE TO DIE. THE STUPIDITY OF HUNTING THEM FOR A TROPHY DISGUSTS ME TO KNOW END. I WISH PURE HELL FOR BOTH OF THESE ASSHOLES.
Karma’s a bitch.
There’s no such thing as ‘karma’.
What a pity the bear didn’t polish off all of them !!! Who killed it? That beautiful animal had its own right to exist and was trying to survive. We should write to their officer at the Army base and complain about these thugs killing wildlife for fun. I hope they all come to a sticky end one day ! I curse these scum to hell and back !
Karma is a bitch aiin’t it! LOL, I’m just glad to see this hunter go exactly what he deserved!
No such thing as ‘ karma’.
They can’t be very bright shooting a large animal directly above them. If they are in the US army I guess this means they have a high rank…..
No one WAs a kid.
No, one was a kid.
Great news so good to hear another testosterone driven gun happy cowboys met his end like the poor bear trying to survive. Humans are the worst of all living creatures killing for fun not for survival. One less now…karma
Great to read that the hunter got what he deserved. These testosterone driven hunters that want to take lives and destroy nature need to get wiped out. Always good to read one less gun happy cowboy out there !
I’m rooting for the bear.
I’m rooting for the bear.
Love the instant Karma. The hunter deserved exactly what he got and then some as I’m sure this isn’t the first creature he’s taken life from. Too bad the story didn’t have a happy ending with the hunter dead and the bear ok.
THE BEAR HAD NO CHANCE I HATE ALL HUNTERS PERIOD.I have no sympathy for animal killers ABUSERS OF ANY KIND i cant write what i truly feel about the hunter being crushed because i may get banned for having an honest opinion.But i can say im sorry about the BEAR ONLY
Well, that was brilliant, wasn’t it? No sympathy here, folks. Move along, please.
Ha, ha, good one.
Yes; leave the bears alone!
I don’t have any sympathy for these IDIOTS who like to hunt! LEAVE WILD ANIMALS AONE!!!!!
Hey God created creatures and these men choose to shoot them.. What goes around comes around I don’t have any sympathy either. If they had not been there to Shoot this bear “NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED” and “BOTH THE BEAR AND THIS MAN WOULD STILL BE ALIVE … NOT HARD TO FIGURE OUT PEOPLE!
Not one bit of sympathy do they get from me! Karma can really be a bitch, depending on which side of her you’re on!
The bad news is the idiot hunter didn’t die as well.
Serves him right, frankly he deserves everything he gets. Such big men hunting an animal with guns, bet they wouldn’t try it without a gun in they’re grubby little hands. People like these two mindless murdering morons make me sick, every animal has the right to a safe, peaceful life and to not be hunted by the most dangerous predator on the planet and that predator is man.
GROW SOME BRAINS ASSHOLES! FIND A MORE INTELLECTUAL WAY TO ENTERAIN YOUR DIM BRAINS! IF YOU FEEL INADEQUATE AS A MAN , GO SEE A THERAPIST INSTEAD OF KILLING ONE OF GOD’S BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS!! IF YOU FEEL INADEQUATE AS A WOMAN GO GET A SEX CHANGE AND THEN SEEK THERAPY!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!! MAYBE THE LAW GAVE YOU A RIGHT BUT GOD DID NOT!!!!! ADDRESS YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES AND IF YOU DO NOT THEN BURN IN HELL!
Once again, Chalk one up for KARMA!!!
GROW SOME BRAINS ASSHOLES AND FIND A MORE INTELLECTUAL WAY TO ENTERTAIN YOURSELVES! IF YOU DON’T T FEEL MANLY ENOUGH GO SEE A THERAPIST ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY INSTEAD OF KILLING ONE OF GOD’ S BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS!! IF YOU. KNEW AND REALIZED HOW DESPISED YOU ARE BY PEOPLE LIKE ME YOU WOULD BE AFRAID .. AS YOU SHOULD BE…..BURN IN HELL YOU MISERABLE MOTHERFUCKERS!
Chalk one up for the bear!
HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY…..FINALLY…. UNEVOLVED NEANDERTHAL BITES THE DUST…ONE CAN ONLY HOPE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, ETC. (this is in reference to the murdered bear who crushed the hunter)
The bear had family too, I am sorry for them, the men chose to do this and killed a beautiful animal for no reason other than to make themselves feel macho.
I totally agree with you
Karma… I’m sorry for his family