Landon Clement, 31, a hunter from Blue Ridge, Georgia, was attacked by a grizzly bear in the early morning hours of Sept. 26 in Wyoming’s Upper Green River Basin. Suffering severe bite wounds from the apex predator, he was able to escape with his life after shooting the bear dead with his handgun.
The incident occurred around 7:30 AM as Clement and life-long friend John Quintrell enjoyed an archery hunt in picturesque Western Wyoming. The two friends were approximately 300 yards apart scanning the area for elk when Quintrell suddenly heard gunshots followed by Clement screaming, sending him running to his friend’s aid.
Clement was set against a large flat rock, observing the area below when he spotted a large female grizzly and her two nearly grown cubs descending the hillside adjacent to his position.
Recognizing this was dangerous territory, the hunter drew his 10mm Glock “and tried to stay as absolutely still and quiet as he could,” Quintrell reported.
That old trick didn’t work. Mama Bear caught a whiff of Clement’s scent as the trio passed 10 yards in front of him, causing her to immediately charge the young man trapped against a rock with nowhere to go. That’s when Clement opened fire. As the bear’s teeth found their way into his leg, Clement was forced to overcome one more unfortunate piece of bad luck. His Glock jammed.
Thankfully training and presence of mind took over as he cleared the jam like a boss and proceeded to dump those 10mm rounds like last night’s takeout. Quintrell later said that Clement probably fired around 10 shots, and he personally witnessed at least four wounds on the bear’s lifeless carcass, including a fatal headshot.
The bear “was as dead as hell when I got there,” Quintrell said.
Clement described the attack to his friend as sudden and extremely violent, later adding “It Felt Like A Freight Train.”
With 3-inch deep bite wounds in his thigh, it was time to extract his friend and get him to the nearest hospital. Clement’s cousin and father were also along for the hunt and were a half-mile away when the grizzly bear attacked. When they arrived on the scene Quintrell ran to retrieve his side-by-side.
Not quite satisfied yet with his own level of badassery, the injured hunter proceeded to walk part of the way with help from his father and cousin. At that point he was just showing off.
Clement was treated at the Pinedale Clinic in Wyoming.
“He’s still back there with the doctor. He’s been back there a long time,” Quintrell told Cowboy State Daily as they waited at the hospital.
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service game warden was informed of the attack and the fate of the bear, according to Quintrell, who described his hospitalized mate as an avid hunter, athlete and good guy who is in peak physical condition and of excellent character.
“He’s as honest as the day is long… He doesn’t even cuss. And of course, I cuss like hell.” Quintrell said, adding that he is optimistic about his friend making a full recovery.
According to Quintrell, this wasn’t their first grizzly rodeo in the Upper Green River Basin. Landon Clement and his father were attacked two years prior while returning from a hunt at night. In that incident, Clement was knocked to the ground before the bear fled.
Quintrell himself had an encounter several years back while he and another hunter were attempting to recover an elk his friend had killed earlier. Having been charged by a grizzly already that day, that hunter asked Quintrell to return with him, one carrying a .308 rifle and the other a shotgun. A grizzly, perhaps the one that attacked the hunter earlier, took another run at it, this time getting shot with both weapons before escaping the scene.
Grizzlies remain under federal protection in the lower 48 states and hunting them is prohibited. While it is legal to kill a grizzly in self-defense, game wardens investigate all such shootings.
Considering these attacks and additional incidents occurring with hunters in Idaho and Montana, Quintrell is convinced that grizzlies should be delisted, voicing his concerns with understandable frustration on the matter.
“This is getting ridiculous…Whose kid is going to have to get killed before we have a hunting season on these bears? Is it going to take a governor’s kid or a senator’s kid?”
Quintrell doesn’t think grizzlies need to be exterminated by any means, but allowing hunting of the bears could control their numbers and lessen the risk to hunters and livestock, while also possibly making them more fearful of humans and less prone to attack.
Well it worked, any amount of argument to be had on caliber model or type but he did get to limp away so good enough whether or not it was the best option (for him or in general).
The hunter becomes the hunted.
“You pay your money and take your chances”
Idiotic comment
No. It isn’t. Only a fool does not realize he’s become a part of the food chain once he steps into the wild.
I am a hunter, I except that the animal may turn on me. You really do take your chances.
Grizzlies are running in what amounts to packs these days, where they are. And where they are, they are overcrowded and need hunting. No need to delist them where they aint…
“A grizzly…getting shot with both weapons (.308 rifle and a shotgun) before escaping the scene.”
Is there ever a headline that reads “Hunter Mildly Bitten by Grizzly”?
“His Glock jammed.”
Everybody knows Glocks don’t jam. Kamala ain’t here, so I will ask all the other Glock experts – why did his Glock jam?
Awkward grip alignment while pushing the muzzle against something while trying to prevent it from getting pushed out of battery and/or weak grip while hip firing are about all I have ever been able to jam a Glock of any sort with unless we are talking absolute garbage steel or aluminum cased ammo. But given enough adverse conditions just about anything can jam somehow. Now 1911 patterns on the other hand may just not like me until heavier loads are involved and/or my grip on them just sucks.
My glock has never jammed.
But then I’ve never shoved it up a bear’s ass and then fired.
Jeff Cooper opined that if you’re likely to wind up in contact with a large predator a short barreled magnum revolver might be the ticket. I think he was talking a S&W mod 19 .357.
And Cooper had a warm spot for the 1911.
A short barreled magnum? No way in hell would I want to go up against a grizzly with a 2″ snubby .357, those things are barely more powerful than a 9mm.
Maybe in his day a “short barreled” magnum was a 4″ barrel? I’ve got an S&W 19 .357 with a 4″ barrel, and it does produce a lot of smack. I consider 4″ the minimum barrel length to get the .357 to perform up to its reputation.
Even then, well, there’s lots of “large predators” but a grizzly is a gigantic predator. I would think a 4″ .357 would probably be up to the task of handling a black bear, but an 850-lb male grizzly… I don’t think that’d be a fight the .357 will win too many times. I’d much rather have a 12-gauge with slugs or a magnum rifle in that fight.
Of course, I’d MUCH rather not be in that fight at all!
When I think short barreled magnum revolver something like the redhawk Alaskan comes to mind but even then would prefer full sized.
Someone needs to start the caliber wars, so…
It’s funny how the people who think the .357 Magnum isn’t powerful enough for grizzly bear usually recommend 10mm instead, when 357 Magnum is at least as powerful as 10mm. I’ll grant that the 10mm has a capacity advantage, but not by much when S&W makes 8-round 357 Magnums, they’re far less likely to jam than a 10mm, you can use them for contact shots (like when you have the gun barrel up against the bear’s head or chest), and at the speed bears charge, you’ll run out of time to shoot before you’re able to empty 8 rounds into a bear.
There, I started the caliber wars, so now have at it!
I mean it would work with the right loading and a good shot. It may have a slightly less margin of error than bigger+stronger options (applies to 10 as well) but better take care of the bear in 5-8 shots depending on the revolver.
If the grizzly is biting on you how well can you use that rifle or shotgun?
Depends on barrel length and how flexible/quick reacting you are. Same as pistol just moreso. Up end the hits could mean more but yeah more weight to carry and not as handy up close so pick your preference. Either way beats a spear typically.
.44 mag minimum…even then it’s chancy….
10mmForLife,
The article stated that the bear attack victim was out on an archery hunt. Aside from the fact that it would be practically impossible to carry a shotgun in addition to all of your archery equipment, many state hunting regulatory agencies do not allow archery hunters to take long guns afield with them.
Thus, 99% (or more) of archery hunters who take a firearm afield will be carrying a handgun for self-defense against animal attacks.
Can’t even bring a pistol on archery hunts in some states. Doesn’t stop some but chances taken all around.
I have personally had a compact gen 4 glock jam twice when new. It had a flashlight mounted, removing the flashlight has resulted in no other malfunctions. It doesn’t happen often but Murphy’s law is that when it does, a grizzly bear is chomping on you.
My thought also. Been shooting glocks for years and no jams.
I had a brand new Gen 3 Glock 22 (chambered in .40 S&W) that jammed about once every full magazine, and it wasn’t because I had cheap ammunition or “limp wrist” problems. I set it aside and never went about trying to identify and fix whatever was wrong.
Over Grizzly Falls.
Is that about water, a bear or a band?
As my name says, I’m a big fan of 10mm. And while 10mm got the job done here, um, it sure wouldn’t be my first choice against a grizzly! I’d want at least a .44 magnum, preferably something like a .454 Casull, or much more preferably a .338 or higher rifle.
44 starting would be my preferred minimum as well but probably more 480 than 454 but splitting hairs on preference there. As for rifle I genuinely don’t know but would probably grab a 45-70 or 12ga (slug) from stuff I actually have.
10mmForLife,
I carry a semi-auto pistol every day for self-defense. Mine has a 4-inch barrel chambered in .40 S&W, loaded with 180 grain hollowpoints. I figure I could probably drive off a modest size black bear with that platform. If we start talking about bears in the 450+ pound range, then I carry my .44 Magnum revolver with 240 grain softpoints. And if I am really worried about monster bears (600+ pounds), then I load my revolver with “bear loads” which are 300 grain hardcast bullets with large/flat meplats. I believe that is the minimum starting point for very large bears–and larger calibers are even better if you can handle them.
Oh, and I would want at least a 3-inch barrel on a .44 Magnum revolver for bear defense, with a 4-inch barrel probably being better.
His Glock jammed! HAHA! That’s why I carry a .44 mag revolver. Anything else make no sense at all.
VNVet69,
The advantages of a semi-auto pistol chambered in 10mm Auto (for bear defense) is much greater ammunition capacity and more accurate shots. Of course the down sides are less “stopping power” and the very real possibility of jamming–especially if the bear is on top of you and you unwittingly push your pistol into the bear’s body which tends to cause malfunctions with semi-auto pistols.
For all of the above reasons, I carry my revolver chambered in .44 Magnum when I am out in the woods.
Jwm – “Jeff Cooper opined that if you’re likely to wind up in contact with a large predator a short barreled magnum revolver”
So, muzzle pressure. Hard to see how there wasn’t some at some point.
Safe – “Awkward grip alignment while pushing the muzzle against something while trying to prevent it from getting pushed out of battery”
Muzzle pressure again. Plus grip. I have to add, I never heard of limp-wristing before Glocks came out – it took me a while accept it as a real thing. Whatever caused the jam, good thing it (I assume) cleared easily.
People tell me there’s often no time to stop the charge (as happened here) – which means a get-off-me gun is what’s needed – so Cooper was right about revolver, although 357 is too small.
In my mind, Clement deserves props for a) not dropping the pistol, and b) not shooting himself.
Grizzlies are smart – maybe a 500 sw would be a deterrent – “Holy crap look at what he’s packing! Mom, let’s go find some more berries.”
Different experiences different times I guess. Only ever experienced it with 1911 when I wasn’t using 230gr or some flavor of+p. I had to try and do super awkward contortions to get any kind of non ammo related jam with any Sig Glock H&K or Beretta I have ever used.
A 10mm Glock jammed? Most 10mm rounds have the equivalent ballistics of a .357 magnum 158 gr.
I prefer a Ruger Redhawk 5.5″ .44 magnum with 305 grain hard cast from Buffalo Bore. Almost every hunt I go own I see bear sign. I’ve encountered lots of black bears at a distance, but have never been attacked. They always turn and leave. Would rather not encounter a grizz.
Would be nice to at least allow the victim to skin & tan the hide, finders keepers.
He orphaned those two cubs. Now, Family Services will have to step in & take custody & raise them at Wyoming taxpayer expense until they’re grown. But the good news is Dick & Liz Cheney will have to pay their fair share.
…which will just perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Bear attacks have been happening recently, for example > Boy, 12, kills black bear that was mauling his father in western Wisconsin (12-year-old boy shoots and kills 200 pound bear, saving dad from mauling).
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/son-saves-dad-black-bear-attack-burnett-county-wisconsin/
There is always something in nature that wants to kill you … it could be that criminal you thought would never happen, it could be a bear you didn’t expect to happen. The fact is this: As much as anti-gun will tell you that you do not need a gun or to just call 911, remember this, they are lying to you pretending to know the future. Always be armed and ready, you never know when or if it will happen – but if it does those same anti-gun people who told you that you didn’t need a gun are not going to be there to save you and its extremely unlikely the police are not going to be there in that imminent moment – so decide who you are going to listen to, your own common sense of self or family preservation and the natural instinct for survival or some blow hard anti-gun group or people who are not going to be there as you die if you listen to them.
“Liz Cheney will have to pay their fair share.”
Which will eventually be everything, time her allies get the power…
The Liberals and the Left are comfortable when children are attacked by coyotes. The are comfortable when hunters or even non hunters are eaten alive.
They are very much like Ad.o.lf Hi.tl.er. All three are big animals lovers. And vegetarian.
Animals must be hunted to keep the populations under control.
Both my Glock 20 & 29 chocked on any 10mm bullet heavier than 200 grains, whether Buffalo Bore or Underwood.
Glad he’s alive, but that’s why revolvers are better bear protection. More powerful and they can perform contact shots without going out of battery.
The bear was really upset about the Burisma deal and the contents of the laptop I suppose.
My preference for Grizzly Bear is a Dessert Eagle chambered in .50 AE.
The engagement range is to close for thermonuclear hand grenades to be a viable option.
Haven’t been in Wyoming for several years now. But, were I going out hunting or just camping I would have my S&W 500 in a shoulder or chest rig. And likely either a 12 gauge or 45-70 close to hand.
Yeah, I know weight or whatever excuses, but being used as a chew toy by an 850lb bear doesn’t appeal and I can leave something else in the truck or get my hunting/camping partner to tote a couple extra lbs. if needs be.
In most states game laws prohibit the carry of a long gun during bow hunting season, not sure how many states might still prohibit carrying a handgun while bow hunting.
CA did last time I inquired.
Comments are closed.