Man comes ‘face to face’ with black bear in his Montana living room, then grabs a gun
A sleeping couple had “quite the wake-up call” when they realized a black bear had broken into their Montana home, multiple news outlets reported.
The couple’s dog wouldn’t stop barking in another room at about 3 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, Seeley Oblander told the Billings Gazette.
Her fiance went to check on the noise.
“Tom looked behind him and five feet away in the living room was a black bear. They stood face to face for about five seconds,” Oblander told the news outlet.
An adult large male black bear had broken through their living room window, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesperson Chrissy Webb told McClatchy News.
The bear stood between Oblander’s fiance, Tom Bolkcom, and the door, so there was no way to let the animal out, she told The Associated Press.
That’s when Bolkcom grabbed a gun and shot the animal multiple times until it died, the news outlet reported.
The couple then called wildlife officials.
Couple justified in shooting bear
Webb said a game warden responded to the home and determined the shooting was a “justifiable self-defense action.”
The couple’s property didn’t have any improperly stored attractants, Webb said. Bear attractants could include garbage, groceries and pet food.
“This is a direct result of other members of the community and nearby neighbors that were improperly storing some attractant,” she said.
Webb said they believe this bear was the same one that had been getting into garbage in the area the past couple of weeks.
Now wildlife officials are warning community members to make sure their properties are clear of bear attractants.
“It’s unfortunate that we had a bear lose its life in this situation. But (we are) really taking this as an opportunity through public awareness on how we can take these steps as humans living in bear habitat to make sure these kinds of conflicts don’t come up as often,” she said.
Luther is about 80 miles southwest of Billings.
What to do if you see a bear
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.
This story was originally published August 4, 2023 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Man comes ‘face to face’ with black bear in his Montana living room, then grabs a gun."
