An American hunter narrowly escaped death during a grizzly bear attack thanks to a split-second decision that saved his life. Chase Dellwo, 26 at the time, was hunting in the Montana backcountry with his brother when he unexpectedly stumbled upon a 400lb sleeping male grizzly. Dellwo, attempting to drive a group of elk towards his brother’s position, startled the bear just three feet away, possibly due to the inclement weather masking his approach.
The bear swiftly attacked Dellwo, knocking him down and biting his head. Despite the terrifying ordeal, Dellwo managed to remember advice from his grandmother about large animals having sensitive gag reflexes. Acting quickly, he shoved his arm down the bear’s throat, causing it to release him and flee. Although injured, Dellwo survived and was rushed to the hospital by his brother for treatment, including numerous stitches and staples to his head, a swollen eye, and deep leg puncture wounds.
Despite the severity of the incident, Dellwo holds no ill will towards the bear, emphasizing that it was a frightening experience for both of them. On social media platform Reddit, users praised Dellwo’s bravery and quick thinking in the face of danger, highlighting his remarkable survival instincts and humility in not blaming the bear.
