ALBRIGHTSVILLE, Pa. - A group of campers said a bear dragged a woman into the woods, clawed her and bit her, then covered her with brush and left.

Kathleen Feeney, 21, said she was too frightened to move as the animal tore off her poncho and sweat shirt, clawed at her back and bit her head, and wondered, "When will it stop?"

"At one point," she said Monday, "the bear lay down beside me."

Feeney was camping on the eastern edge of Hickory Run State Park with Brian Scollon, 19, and Robert Brennan, 21. They bought some food, stored it in a tent, and went fishing.

Feeney returned to the camp, found the bear in the tent and ran back to the others with the bear chasing her. The three then fled.

Brennan clambered up a steep slope to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and tried to flag down motorists. None stopped, but someone called state police.

Feeney and Scollon ran through bushes and tried to take refuge behind a large tree, with the bear taking swipes at them with its paws. Scollon drew his hunting knife.

"I tried to stab him," said Scollon, interviewed with Feeney at her home Monday night.

Then the bear dragged Feeney into the woods. Scollon said he shouted, "Play dead, Kathleen."

Feeney said the bear tore at her clothes, bit her, covered her with brush and tree branches, and eventually left. She said she could hear Scollon yelling, "Run to my voice."

At nearly midnight, Scollon climbed the slope to the turnpike, where state police were waiting, followed by the wounded Feeney.

Feeney was treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital for scratch marks on her back, bites on the back of her head and a puncture wound on her leg. She was discharged Sunday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Park officials said it was the first attack by a bear in Hickory Run's history.
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Yeah... I don't believe Scollon. "I tried to stab him" whatever.

The bear lay down beside her? Did he want to cuddle for awhile, too? Maybe he's got fantasies about being some girl's teddy bear. Aye chihuahua.....

And even though this is the bears natural habitat and home it will probably be extreminated because it attacked a human who was intruding upon its territory.

Bad bear! Bad, bad bear! Go away bad bear! See the bad bear? See the bad bear eat the woman? See the woman cry? Bad bear! Bad, bad bear! Go away bad bear!

Would Moe consider the bad bear wholesome? I think not! Bad, bad bear!

^ lol.


Lucky woman, the bear obviously wasn't hungry at the time.

I wonder if he was keeping her for a later snack or maybe as a snuggle partner.

My uncle had a picture (sadly lost after his death) of my dad standing in the middle of one of their hunting camps with a bear facing him, with its paws on his shoulders. The bear wandered into camp and the other guys all jumped into their car and locked the door (I guess they thought a bear could operate a car door handle!) leaving Dad outside! He just stood still and the bear came up, reared up and put its paws on his shoulders and looked him over, then got down and shambled off.

None of them jumped out to rescue him by distracting the bear, but at least they thought to take a picture of him almost being eaten alive!

I live in PA and in my 27 years, have only saw one black bear. They aren't very big, however, they can obviously hurt you. These campers were just plain STUPID!!! You NEVER leave food in your tent!!! You are supposed to put it in your car OR suspend it from a tree... (the latter is on the PA state website) I just can't imagine a black bear dragging someone away.. she must have been small...

Bears in PA

maybe the bear had babies near by and was protecting its territory and the babies?

I think she's very lucky to be alive and escape with only minor injuries.

WOW. Shes lucky she only had a few scratches and bite marks and 1 puncture wound. That bear could have messed her up real bad. Even I would know enough not to leave food in my tent with bears around. Yikes!

The best defense against a bear attack is to stay at home. Period. I'm never going camping so I can parade around as bear-bait.

I was thinking about this today in class... people can keep teddy bears in their bed to snuggle with all the time, but the second a bear wants a human to snuggle with its a big news story and everybody gets so uptight about it.

Play dead? lol..thats the worst idea if you're being chased by a bear. If you see one make loud noises and make yourself look imposing. (Pull your jacket over your head, flair your arms about) 95% of bears are terrified of you and will scamper off, the other % have something wrong with them. Worst comes to worst try to climb a big tree or put up a fight.

Conjurs up best Homer Simpson;

Mmmmm...bear claws....aghhhhhh...

{drools}

Actually my cats have got some unusual hunting habits too. When they used to try to get my fish I'd find one would actually try to distract me for the other one. Maybe it's just my imagination, but this happened like 9 times...

aztec this happens all the time.. you should be used to the vilification of animals when humans are in their territory

i mean come on.. how many ppl want to go after sharks when a person is attacked and killed? you dont see the same thing happening when a bee stings someone do you? the whole hive isnt exterminated

also goes to show the ignorance of campers.. even i know that if you go camping in the woods in america you dont store food in or around the camp... cos you may be in for a surprise.. was also taught not to climb trees if a bear is after you.. cos one will chase you up the tree (black bear i think).. and the other will shake you out of it

give me the outback any time... the only bear you have to worry about is the dropbear.. but then you dont pitch a tent under a tree

You are exactly right; never ever play dad while being threatened by a bear. Also, you should not run from a bear; a bear can run much faster thana person in the best physical condition. Never ( under any circumstances ) try to escape by climbing a tree; bears can climb faster than you and will pull you down.. Like Sprinkles said, make yourself as "big" as possible by flailing your arms or jumping up and down. Be loud and I mean loud. Scream and yell, growl if need be. Stand your ground and look aggressive. Take small, lurching steps towards the bear but keep a reasonable distance. The bear should be frightened of you and leave the area. Never approach a bear cub in the wild. If he is small enough to cuddle and he's not up a tree, chances are that mommie is near.

Exactly. The whole "play dead" thing was abandoned years ago when they figured out that grizzly bears will still eat something if it's lying "dead" on the ground. But *if* by chance you are awakened by a bear attacking you (it happened to a young guy a few years back), the *best* thing to do would be to curl up as tightly as you can to protect your vital organs, and hope your friends (as you should NEVER camp alone) can scare it off.

I know that in the State Park near my house (Allegany State Park), they have been seeing a return of black bears (and raccoons too) to the area. In fact, just last summer there was a mother and baby sighted very close to the cabin we rented. The problem with the bears -- well, not the bears really, but with the *people* who use the park, -- is that people feed them *intentionally*, because they're so "cute". Raccoons, too. And they found that a few years ago (not sure about recently), nearly EVERY raccoon in the Park was rabid! And people are letting their little kids feed them marshmallows and junk...*sigh*

I don't feel *too* bad for this chick though (sorry). If you don't know enough about "wilderness survival" like these people obviously didn't, then you shouldn't go out camping at all -- anywhere.

Just my 2.5 cents.

~Scarlet~

that reminds me of wonder showzem, she's luck she is alive...

Thats terrifying. Im glad we dont have bears around here.

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lol sorry, i know this is a typo, but it tickled me..

never play dad while being threatened by a bear....

dad.. what did i tell you?.. i said NO gnawing on my neck.. do you want me to send you to the cave to think about it? bad BAD bear

and so forth..

Ohh, thought the titled said "covets", and I thought "that poor woman"

And when being attacked by a bear its best to drop and get into the fetal position and close your eyes (he cant hurt you if you cant see him).

Except of course when dealing with drop bears...then you need garlic and a titanium helmet so they don't eat your brains.

...

Sorry, kinda bored.

^Hmm... I like that way of thinking! So if I don't see school, I don't have to do work!!!