Disabled Veteran Survives Horrific Bear Attack Near Montana

"The most violent thing I have ever experienced. And I’ve experienced being shot at, mortars and IED explosions."

Those are the words of Shayne Burk, a disabled Army veteran. Have you ever heard of a bear spray CAN, no so much the spray, saving someone's life?

THE ENCOUNTER. THE EXPLOSION.

The Montana Outdoor Radio Show staff tells us that Shayne, a disabled Army Reserve veteran and avid nature enthusiast and photographer, was out on a photography expedition, trying to get some shots of a great grey owl in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.The series of horrifying life-threatening events began when he realized he was lost in the woods.

As Shayne was trying to find his way back to his car, he suddenly found himself staring at a bear cub. Before he had any time to react or move away, the cub's mother charged him.  Despite trying to use his bear spray, she got to him quickly. He says he went into survival mode, covering his vitals, and prepared for a violent mauling.

The brown bear bit him repeatedly and tossed him around, but he never let go of the can of bear spray. He thinks that his cupped hands around his neck area might have been enough to keep the bear from getting a good grip on his head, going for the "kill shot."

That's when it exploded in her mouth, saving his life.

"ATTACKED"

He says in spite of all the pain and being in a state of dazed and confused shock, he could hear the bear running away. While he could not place a call due to poor cell coverage to his waiting wife at their vehicle, he was able to send her a text: ATTACKED. She was able to return a call to him and through still-spotty communication, narrow down his location enabling emergency services to make a helicopter rescue.

You can find out more about Shayne Burk's frightening story and powerful will to survive the attack here.