Todd Orr's 2X Grizzly Bear Attack
A Bad Day in Bear Country
written by Todd Orr
Todd's harrowing account of his double grizzly bear attack.
It was an early fall morning across the Madison valley as I began my hike into the high mountains of southwest Montana. Three miles in, I spotted a sow Grizzly bear with cubs up ahead. The sow saw me as well, and she and the cubs ran west and out of sight over the ridge. I waited about 30 seconds before deciding I could safely continue eastward, in the opposite direction.
A few steps later, a slight noise over my left shoulder caught my attention.
Turning, I saw the sow grizzly breaking over the ridge at about 40 yards, and heading directly toward me.
It was nothing like the slow, rambling gate of the overweight, trained bears in the movies. This was the real deal.
She was in a full charge with ears laid back and coming fast and low to the ground. Charging at up to 40 miles per hour, she could cover nearly 60 feet each second.
Instinctively, I pulled my bear spray from the chest holster, slipped out the safety clip, and yelled out so the bear knew I was human and would hopefully stop or turn back. No such luck. She was blazing through the waist tall grass with a speed I had never imagined. Within just a couple seconds, she was nearly on me.
I smashed the trigger down hard on the bear spray and gave her a full blast in the face at about 30 feet. Her speed and momentum carried her through the orange cloud of pepper mist and onto me. I turned away and threw myself to the ground with my face in the dirt, wrapped my arms around the back of my neck, and locked my hands for protection.
She was immediately on top of me, repeatedly biting my arms, shoulders and back. I could hear the crushing and tearing of the muscle as her long canine teeth buried deep into my right arm with each bite.
After only a few seconds, but what seemed an eternity, she disappeared, coughing as a result of bear spray.
Stunned, I carefully picked myself from the ground. I was so lucky to be alive and survive a Grizzly bear attack!
The injuries were severe but not life threatening, and isolated mostly to my arms, shoulder and upper back. Quite assured the bear was gone, I headed back down the trail toward the trailhead and my truck 3 miles below. I kept a steady pace, only slowing for a quick look at my injuries.
My backpack had taken the brunt of the attack, but I still sustained numerous deep, puncture wounds on my right arm and shoulder. The wounds were bleeding through both layers I was wearing, but the flow appeared to be slowing. I knew I could hike the distance to the truck, and thanked god for getting me through this alive. I really wanted to keep moving and put distance between the bear and I before stopping to address any wounds that needed attention.
Within minutes, I felt I was clear of the danger and my adrenaline rush was subsiding. But then a sudden noise from behind turned me, to find the grizzly bearing down on me a second time, and already within ten feet. It happened so quickly, I had no time to use the bear spray again or my pistol.
I again turned away as the bear knocked me to the ground. I couldn't believe this was happening a second time! I was so lucky to survive the first attack, and now I questioned if I would survive another.
Again, I protected the back of my neck and sides of my head with my hands and arms, and kept tight against the ground to protect my face, eyes and soft vital areas. The bear slammed down on top of me and ferociously bit my shoulder and arms again, but with much more aggression than before. The force of each bite was like a sledge hammer with teeth. One bite on my left forearm went deep, and I heard the crunch of bone breaking. My hand instantly went numb, and my wrist and fingers were limp and useless. The sudden flash of pain made me flinch and gasp for breath. That slight movement and sound triggered a frenzy of additional bites to my shoulder and upper back. I knew it was vital to avoid any further movement or sound, or the bear was going to tear me to pieces.
So I focused my concentration to block out the pain, and remained motionless, face down on the ground. More bites and claw swats to my head opened a 5 inch gash above my right ear, nearly scalping me. The blood gushed over my face and into my eyes, blinding me. I still didn't move nor make a sound.
My concentration, will to survive, and adrenaline rush had completely blocked out the pain, but I could feel and hear the pressure and tearing of each bite as her teeth sunk deep into my muscles. She would lift me up off the ground and slam me back down, only to bite again. I truly thought this was the end.
I feared the bear would eventually strike an artery in my neck and I would bleed out on the trail. Or she would flip me over and get to my face, eyes or throat. But I knew that any movement would prolong the attack, so a laid motionless, hoping it would end.
I repeatedly told myself that she would eventually leave to check on her cub’s safety, if I could only hold on a little longer.
The bear suddenly stopped her attack and just stood on top of me.
I will never forgot that brief moment of dead silence with just the sound of her breathing and sniffing. I could feel and hear her breath on the back of my neck, just inches away from my spine. I even tried to hold my breath, afraid she would attack again if I moved or made a noise.
Her 3” claws sunk into my lower back just below my backpack, where she stood, pinning me to the ground. The terrible, pungent odor she emitted almost made me gag.
For thirty seconds, she stood there motionless but crushing me. My chest was smashed into the ground and my face pressed into the rocky dirt of the trail. When would the next onslaught of biting begin, I wondered. But I still didn't move, my breaths faint.
And then she was gone.
That enormous weight had been lifted from my body. I wanted to take in a deep breath of fresh air, but I didn't know where the bear was. I wondered if she had left to check on her cubs, or was standing there just ten feet away watching me.
I waited another ten seconds, listening. Nothing.
I feared I would never survive a third attack if the bear returned. I needed to protect my life.
I had dropped my bear spray during the attack, so my pistol was my only defense. Staying in position on the ground, I slowly moved my right arm from behind my head and reached under my chest to grab at the pistol I was unable to get to earlier. Nothing! It was gone as well.
It had been ripped from my body during the attack, and now I was defenseless. I carefully wiped the blood from each eye, and with much worry and some hesitation, I slowly raised my head to look around, still fearing the bear would be close and attack again. Almost to my surprise, she was gone.
The holster and pistol were lying ten feet to my side. The bear's attack had broken the webbing straps and torn the holster from my body.
With the bear apparently gone, I dove for the pistol and thumbed back the hammer, nervously looking around. Still no bear. I so hoped she was gone for good this time!
I quickly picked up my scattered gear, grabbed the bear spray, and moved down the trail again toward the trailhead.
I couldn't believe I had survived a grizzly attack twice!
Blood was still dripping from my head wound and off both elbows, and my shirt was blood soaked to the waist and into my pants. But a quick assessment assured me the bleeding was not life threatening and I could survive the 45 minute hike to the truck.
I continued down the trail, wanting to distance myself from the bear. I kept my left arm pulled in tight against my body to minimize movement and prevent further injury to the shredded muscle, severed tendons, and crushed nerves and bone. I held my pistol tucked between my arm and chest, for easy access if need be. The bear spray was in my right hand with safety clip out.
Twice I paused to assess my wounds. The slow rate of bleeding was still acceptable, so I did not bother with any bandaging. If needed, I could administer first aid at the truck.
Forty five minutes later, I safely reached the trailhead and my vehicle. It was now only 8am, and I was concerned for the safety of bow hunters that may show up for the weekend and head into the same area. I attempted to write a warning note and post it on the bulletin board at the trailhead. Unfortunately, my injured arm was useless, and I decided the note would not be legible with the blood dripping from my writing hand as well.
Having reached my vehicle and with bleeding slowed, I now felt completely safe and relieved. I decided to take a few seconds to record the moment to share with my hunting buddies. I snapped a couple quick photos and a video of my wounds, laid some jackets over the truck seat to capture some of the blood, and then headed for town and the hospital, about 30 minutes away. I stopped a rancher alongside the road and asked him to make a call to the hospital, informing them that I was in route.
Twenty minutes later, I was met by a doctor, nurse and a local sheriff’s officer at the emergency entrance. I had to ask the officer for assistance in opening the door, putting the truck in park, and unbuckling my seat belt. My left arm was useless and the deep tear in the deltoid of my right shoulder, along with a dozen puncture wounds to my bicep and triceps, were making it nearly impossible to lift that arm as well.
Once inside, x-rays revealed a broken ulna bone in my forearm. Most of the other injuries were arm, shoulder and upper back punctures and tears from the bear's biting. It took over six hours to stitch all the wounds closed. The four puncture holes in the right side just above my hip reminded me how lucky I was that the bear only bit and released, and her canine teeth didn't tear completely through the soft stomach tissue.
Two tendons had been severed in my left forearm, and required surgery the following day to repair the shredded muscle and reattach the tendons. Numerous nerves had been damaged as well. It took months of physical therapy to get 90% use and strength in my left arm and hand again.
A 5" gash along the side of my head will leave a nasty scar as well.
Not my best day, but I am alive and so thankful to be here to share the story with all of you. :)
Todd Orr.
Bozeman, Montana.
