Bear killed after clawing woman

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published August 8, 2001

A cinnamon-colored black bear was killed after it clawed a woman walking with a child near Sun Mountain Lodge.

Kathie Morgan, 35, needed seven stitches to close the head wound inflicted by the 100-pound bear that followed her and a 7-year-old child along the Rodeo Trail on Saturday.

The bear was about the size of a St. Bernard dog and seemed curious, she said. She saw it following them along the trail, and they stopped as the bear drew close. It walked up and faced them both, nuzzling the boy briefly with his nose.

Morgan said she and the boy got on the ground, and she covered his body with hers to protect him.

The bear stuck around for about 15 minutes, and at one point put his paw on the top of her head. That's apparently when he clawed her, Morgan said, but she didn't feel it.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife was called after the incident, and game wardens tracked the bear and shot it.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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