I guess you could say it’s been one badass week here at the Outdoor News Hound. First it was a Vietnam vet who strangled a rabid bobcat into submission. Now it’s a former Marine who killed a 275-pound black bear with his bare hands—and a well-placed chunk of firewood.
Non-custodial dad Chris Everhart spent Father’s Day weekend camping with his three young sons at Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest. About 9:30 Saturday night, as the foursome roasted marshmallows over the campfire, a large black bear entered their campsite and began tugging the ice chest containing food.
As Everhart banged some pots and pans to frighten away the bruin, his 6-year-old, Logan, grabbed a shovel and charged the animal.
“Once the bear saw Logan, he dropped the cooler and started coming at (him),” Everhart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “(The bear) was growling.”
Knowing it was time for action, the ex-Marine grabbed the first thing he could get his hands on–a hefty piece of firewood. (He said his handgun and hunting knife were packed away inside his Jeep.)
He hurled the chuck of wood with everything he had, hitting the bruin squarely in the head.
The camp invader fell in its tracks, lifeless.
Everhart later attributed his deadeye log-tossing ability to his proficiency with a firearm.
“I’m a pistol shooter,” he said. “The hand-eye coordination is all the same thing.”
Everhart was issued a $75 ticket by the Forest Service for failing to store his food “to prevent access by wildlife.”
Asked later about his heroism, the modest dad said he was merely protecting his boys from potential harm.
“I was doing what any parent would do,” he said. “Heroes are firefighters jumping out of burning buildings. I just got lucky.”
For my money, I’ll gladly take Everhart and Dale Rippy (the bobcat strangler) to be on my side when the chips are down.