[Griz]

As a hunter and wildlife photographer one often sees nature at its best and worst but when you witness something like this if you love nature it hits where it hurts.
Yesterday morning I noticed a bear making its way from my meadow area toward our house. Although it's not odd to see a bear around here this one was not moving as it should. As it got closer and I saw it in the camera lens it was easy to see it was injured badly. It would take a step then stand for a bit and when it moved the right rear foot was dragging behind it. Not sure if it was hit by a car or hurt by another bear.
One thing I am sure of is it had to be the biggest black bear I have ever seen alive or dead.

I notified the local Game Protector about this and we now have a bear trap set out and hopefully it will be caught so it can be put out of its misery. Here are some photos judge its pain for yourself.

Griz

 

[rlyle531]

We took a very large bear in NY at our hunting camp in Steuben County that had only 3 legs. He was known locally as Stumpy. The locals were not sad to see him go. He was locally hard on barbecue grills, trash cans and bird feeders.

Don't know how he was injured, but he sure was getting around and he was quite healthy.

Hope that old guy fares well.

 

[Moss]

Nice pics, poor thing

 

[bohunr]

why trap and kill it? trap it, fix it, heal it and release it.

they do it for raptors....

 

[BOOTOXEN]

Thanks for sharing and post up more pics if he is caught

 

[casey]

I've seen injured bears in worse shape that made it.

Mother Nature will take care of it's own.

 

[Birch812]

As usual, great pictures.
He is a good sized bear and other than the leg issue looks to be healthy and older but not old.

Trapping and rehab would not be possible for a animal of that size
The way he is dragging the leg doesn't look like it is something that will correct it's self.
If he is still around when the season kicks in he better be in the deepest, nastiest swamp he can find otherwise he will be easy pickings for some crossbow hunter.

 

[Griz]

Thus far the trap did produce one bear but not the one we were hoping for. Based on the info I received from the WCO more than likely the bear also has internal injuries and with the hip or leg injury he will have to be euthanized. Sad but a fact of life.

I'll update if any more info becomes available.

Griz

 

[bohunr]

Griz,

awesome photo as always.

if the bear was hit by a car hard enough to injure the leg that badly and has internal injuries it will, or probably has died.

either way, truly sad.