Sierra County Man Shoots Bear After Backyard Attack

Sacramento station Fox 40 has some details on a scary incident in Calpine, a community in Sierra County:

As the man and his dog entered the yard, the man found himself being charged by a bear that came from his neighbor’s yard. 

The bear did not stop and the man received bites on his hand, wrist and leg before he could eventually get away.

The man went into his house to retrieve a shotgun and used it to fire at the bear while it was in a “standoff” with the dog.

The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office also posted the following press release on Facebook. (The wounded bear was euthanized after being tracked down by California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers):

Calpine Resident Bitten by Bear

Calpine, California – On Saturday, December 9, 2023, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a Calpine resident who was bitten by a bear the previous night. The resident reported that on the preceding night, he had let his dog outside to go to the bathroom. The dog immediately took off, prompting him to go outside. While outside, a bear emerged from his neighbor’s yard and charged at him. Regrettably, the bear did not stop, and the Calpine resident sustained bites on his hand, wrist, and leg.

After getting away from the bear, he hurried back into the house, where he retrieved a shotgun. Fearing for his dog’s safety, the resident went outside and ultimately shot the bear while it was in a standoff with his dog. The victim then sought medical attention at the hospital, where he received treatment for his bite wounds but did not require hospitalization.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was notified and immediately responded to investigate the incident. During their investigation, the bear, wounded from the gunshot the previous night, was located. Fish and Wildlife officials euthanized the bear and transported it to Sacramento for a necropsy and rabies testing.