by John Vogel
Tyler Johnson waded through the waist-high grass when a grizzly bear, concealed by that same grass, decided to introduce itself.
It was day 3 of 5 for Tyler, an Alaskan native, and his father, as they bushwhacked through rural Alaska in search of anything in season. The goal was to simply enjoy his home state with his dad, a state trooper and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer, before Tyler moved his family over 4000 miles south to Texas. With Alaskan hunting seasons being what they are, the two carried tags for several species, but Tyler admits he gladly would have taken a black bear.
For the three days, they failed to come across game of any sort. They moved along Resurrection Trail Pass, located in the Chugach National Forest, flanked by the Kenai Mountains. The trail is popular with hunters and backpackers wanting to experience Southeastern Alaska, as it transitions from thick forest to grassland to flatlands. The trail eventually led them through a dense, grassy area where visibility was limited. As they pushed through the chest-high grass, Tyler met a brown bear with an ornery disposition.
They believe the bear had been laying in the grass, just low enough that it couldn’t be seen, and didn’t realize Tyler and his dad were there until they happened upon it. His father could only yell “bear” before the chaos began.
A growl, a charge, a few swipes, a barrage of 10mm, and the encounter was over.
Tyler found himself on the ground with a claw mark on his pack, a chunk of his boot missing, and a 10mm hole in his thigh.
The event most likely lasted only a matter of seconds, but the bear had turned on a dime to tackle Tyler who likened the grizzly’s impact to “getting hit by a train.” Tyler’s pistol was mounted to his external frame pack. Drawing as the bear descended upon him, he and his father, who also came prepared, dumped over 24 rounds of 10mm into the infuriated mass of muscle, claws, teeth, and fur. The barrage of bullets which was fortunately enough firepower to stop the violent attack.
It wasn’t until the bear was dead that Tyler realized he too had a clean 10mm hole in his leg—most likely installed while he drew his pistol.
Quickly assessing the damage, the two snapped into action, applying a tourniquet made from a piece of surgical tubing off a wrist rocket, and adding QuikClot to the wound. Tyler remained calm, as his father found a suitable landing zone for a helicopter. Using his Garmin Inreach to send a distress message, it only took state troopers a few hours to find and airlift them to Anchorage where Tyler was treated and released that night.
The wildest part of all of this was what Tyler chose to do to pass the time while they waited for the troopers: he got out his phone and recorded a video. Speaking to his wife, he makes it clear that he’s ok, his dad is ok, his leg is a bit of a mess, and sitting not more than a few feet from where he sat, a large grizzly bear, dead as Old Yeller.
Tyler’s ordeal is further evidence that a gun is better protection than bear spray and two guns are better than one. His story also highlights the importance of proficiency and planning—both he and his dad took immediate, effective action during and after the attack. Train regularly, stay armed, and be prepared.
