Bear Scratches Man Who Gets Too Close While Trying to Lead It Away From Labor Day Cookout
Posted 2023-09-22 by
The man sustained minor scratches during the incident, but it could have been much worse
A Pennsylvania man escaped with minor injuries after getting too close to a large black bear during a lakeside cookout in the Poconos over Labor Day weekend.
In the video footage, you can see a man approaching a large bear at it walks through a lakeside campsite where people are enjoying a barbecue. The man, who someone refers to as "Mike," attempts to usher it through the yard and out a gate. At one point the bear reaches out and slaps Mike with its paw, scratching him in the process.
The video ends with Mike lifting up his shirt to show off the claw marks on his side. Mike was lucky, as the bear could have easily killed him
The video was originally posted on Instagram account @johnson2124.
Although most people don't have to be told to keep a distance from wild bears, some apparently need further warning.
“I think one of the absolute most important things to do if you encounter a black bear, whether it’s far away or its close up, is always try and give the black bear as much space as possible,” Pennsylvania Game Commission Black Bear Program Manager Emily Carrollo told ABC 27.
