Man says he feels 'extremely lucky' after surviving grizzly bear encounter
A California man is speaking out after surviving a grizzly bear encounter that left him with an injury to his arm that required three surgeries.
Daniel Crago, 32, told ABC News he feels "extremely lucky" to be alive after encountering a grizzly bear during a hiking trip with a friend on May 28 at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Crago had temporarily split up from his friend and was hiking in an area of the park's Grinnell Glacier Trail when he said the bear saw him and charged toward him.
"This bear, as soon as we looked at each other, it charged towards me. I think I was just so close to it, it frightened the bear," he said.
Crago, who describes himself as an experienced hiker, said he had initially called out to the bear when he first came across it, in order to alert it to his presence and try not to frighten it.
"[I] said, 'Hey bear, hey bear,' and as soon as it looked up at me, it charged towards me … and [took] a leap towards me," he recalled. "You could hear the roar, and I just stuck my arm up out of self defense."
Crago said the bear bit him on his right forearm and knocked him backward, dragging him for about 20 feet before running away down the mountain. He added that he had bear spray on him at the time but was unable to use it.
The entire encounter lasted "less than 10 seconds," he said.
According to the National Park Service, Crago and the bear were in an area of the park with "loud rushing water," where it was likely hard for either of them to hear or notice each other before the encounter.
Crago credited his friend and nearby hikers for rushing to his aid following the incident, saying one of the nearby hikers was a doctor who fashioned a tourniquet on his arm to reduce blood loss.
"I don't know if I [would have made] it if [the doctor was] not there," he said, adding that he was "so extremely lucky and grateful."
Crago, who was airlifted to a nearby hospital, said he sustained an open fracture of both bones in his forearm as a result of the incident and required three surgeries to repair the damage. He said will also need additional medical care, including a skin graft, in the future.
Now that he is recovering, Crago said he is "grateful to be able to wake up every day and just make the most of each day and enjoy it."
The National Park Service recommends park visitors follow these tips while in bear country:
- Never approach a bear.
- Stay alert and avoid headphones on trails.
- Hike in groups when possible.
- Make noise near streams, dense vegetation and blind corners.
- Store food, trash and scented items properly.
- Carry bear spray.
- Never run from a bear.
"If you encounter a bear, stay calm, speak in a steady voice, back away slowly and do not make sudden movements," the department says. "Visitors should report bear encounters to park staff as soon as it is safe to do so."
