Man shoots bear that bit him while he was looking for his dog, California deputies say

A Sierra County man shot a bear after it bit him and got into a standoff with his dog, California authorities reported.

The Calpine man told investigators his dog raced outside after being let out to go to the bathroom on the night of Friday, Dec. 8, the sheriff’s office said in a Dec. 12 news release.

He went outside to look for his dog, and a bear charged him from a neighbor’s yard, the sheriff’s office said. The bear bit his hand, wrist and leg, he told deputies.

The man went back inside his home for a shotgun, then found his dog in a standoff with the bear, which he shot, deputies said.

The man went to a hospital to be treated for the bites and notified the sheriff’s office of the encounter the next day, deputies said. He was not hospitalized.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers tracked down the injured bear, which had to be euthanized, the sheriff’s office said. The bear’s body will be necropsied and tested for rabies.

Calpine is about 130 miles northeast of Sacramento.

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 December 13, 2023 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Man shoots bear that bit him while he was looking for his dog, California deputies say."