Alaska is bear country. According to the state’s Department of Fish and Game, there are around 30,000 brown bears and 100,000 black bears roaming about in the land.
Encountering bears is not uncommon, but it happens at a safe distance most of the time.
That said, the predatory bear attack is rare; the big animals prefer to launch a defensive warning when threatened or annoyed by the presence of humans or any potential competition for prey.
They do not necessarily engage in physical contact but display aggression by making many noises or running toward the targets. Many people escape without a single scratch.
But accidents do happen. An Alaskan gold prospector named Richard Jessee was reportedly attacked by a bear while going to a cabin across the Big Four Creek near the Casadepaga River in July.
He was eventually able to get to the cabin after firing a shot at the bear and defend himself inside for days. A passing Coast Guard helicopter spotted his distress signal and came to the rescue. Jessee was saved.
10 /10 Tell The Tale
Following the ordeal and treatment at a hospital for minor injuries, Jessee gave a detailed account of the episode during an interview with the Nome Nugget, the self-proclaimed oldest newspaper in Alaska.
On July 12, 2001, Jessee headed to a cabin not far from the Casadepaga River. He had to cross the Big Four Creek to get there, riding an ATV.
Jessee failed to notice the presence of a bear until it was too late. The bear was strong enough to knock him out of the ATV. A trailer attached to the vehicle was rolled over as well.
9 /10 Aggressive Bear
Jessee shot the bear using a pistol, giving him time to make a run for his life and into the cabin.
He locked himself in, fortifying the cabin any way he could. As it turned out, he had lost his phone in the river too, so there was no way he could call the emergency service for help.
The bear had not had enough of him; it continued the aggression toward the cabin, attacking the doors and windows. Jessee said the bear had returned to the cabin every night for several days straight.