Decades-old bear mauling

[AK Troutbum]

Just read this in our news paper online and thought it interesting, so I figured I’d share it.

Skull found 25 years ago in Interior Alaska identified as man who likely died in bear mauling

Investigators used genetic genealogy to tentatively identify the deceased as a New York man, Gary Frank Sotherden, who officials believe may have died as the result of a bear mauling in the 1970s, troopers said.

www.adn.com

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[TW907]

Seen that in the news tonight. Crazy there was much of a skull left after all those years

 

[Xanderzuj]

Terrifying. Among the worst ways to die

 

[Antares]

I saw that today too. Here's a version that's not behind a pay wall.

https://www.ktoo.org/2023/02/01/sku...n-who-was-likely-killed-by-a-bear-in-the-70s/

 

[Antares]

Terrifying. Among the worst ways to die

I'd rather get ripped up by a bear than spend a few years dying of cancer.

 

[texasaggie09]

Same!

 

[Xanderzuj]

I'd rather get ripped up by a bear than spend a few years dying of cancer.

You do know they usually eat you alive? Hold you down and generally either eat you through your stomach or your ass… while you’re conscious.

 

[Antares]

You do know they usually eat you alive? Hold you down and generally either eat you through your stomach or your ass… while you’re conscious.

Same for cancer.

I’m just saying when it’s my time, I’d rather die fast in the woods than slow in town. You can feel different, that’s fine.

 

[MTtrout]

You do know they usually eat you alive? Hold you down and generally either eat you through your stomach or your ass… while you’re conscious.

Well I guess it depends on how much of a fight you have in you….

 

[Nickofthewoods]

You do know they usually eat you alive? Hold you down and generally either eat you through your stomach or your ass… while you’re conscious.

"The point is...you are alive when they start to eat you"

-Dr. Grant (Jurassic Park)


I knew I'd heard that somewhere. 😅

 

[LoggerDan]

Maybe he was using 77 grain tmk’s.



If anyone who says they’d rather be eaten alive than dying in a bed surrounded by your family, you are either incredible stupid, incredibly selfish or incredibly un knowledgeable about these animals.


I remember ol Rinella talking about how he’d like to get a good bear scratching. But after his Afognak ordeal, he was completely shook. He now has the fear. He didn’t react like he thought and disn’t cope with the aftermath like he thought.

 

[MTtrout]

it’s impressive what we can do with DNA and genealogy. Hope the family now has some closure

 

[Antares]

If anyone who says they’d rather be eaten alive than dying in a bed surrounded by your family, you are either incredible stupid, incredibly selfish or incredibly un knowledgeable about these animals. And probably not from Alaska..

Please help me understand how you’ve decided that I’m stupid, selfish, unknowledgeable, and “probably not from Alaska” based on my personal preference about how I’d like to leave this world.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Guess I’m selfish too. When it gets to the point where I’m suffering super bad and getting ready to spend my kids inheritance like water on useless medical intervention, I’m going to off myself. I’ll try and find a non messsy way to do it and have my corpse discovered by LEO instead of my family. How a man wants to go is his business. I’ve seen a number of people die of cancer and I frankly don’t have the courage for it. I’m not gonna volunteer for a bear ass eating though. Ouch.

 

[Dos Perros]

There have been a few of these stories lately. I'm curious how local authorities could 1) know someone disappeared there in 1975, and then 2) have a skull found 25 years later turned into them, and then 3) not surmise the deceased was the missing. Maybe they always thought it, but the DNA proves it?

 

[Pantheon]

If anyone who says they’d rather be eaten alive than dying in a bed surrounded by your family, you are either incredible stupid, incredibly selfish or incredibly un knowledgeable about these animals.


I remember ol Rinella talking about how he’d like to get a good bear scratching. But after his Afognak ordeal, he was completely shook. He now has the fear. He didn’t react like he thought and disn’t cope with the aftermath like he thought.

It is possible that others experience life differently than you.

It is also possible that some people would prefer to go out quick rather than suffer.
Also that some people that experience bear charges differently than you or the Almighty Rinella.

 

[Antares]

Your statement answers the question.

You're clearly passionate about this, but there's no need to be rude. It's ok for people to have different feelings about things, especially a deeply personal subject like this. I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you. Have a great day.

 

[FLATHEAD]

After watching my Mother die a slow, agonizing death from Dementia and it's complications,
over a period of 4 years.
I'd take the bear attack.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Neither for me.

Knock me out, throw me overboard, and let the fishies eat me....

 

[Dos Perros]

They say you don't truly die until your name has been spoken for the last time.

To that end, one could achieve some sort of immortality if they were to find him clutching a weapon yards away from a dead elk and dead grizzly bear. They'd be talking about that dude for hundreds of years.