Warning: This article includes graphic content that some readers may find disturbing
A Massachusetts man has revealed the ‘number one thing’ that helped him survive a violent encounter with a bear.
On Sunday May 19, Shayne Patrick Burke, 35, was hiking through Grand Teton National Park when a mother bear mauled him while protecting her cub.
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The attack left him with multiple injuries - including two punctured legs - and occurred on Signal Mountain when the man was scouting out a bird to photograph.
Following the ordeal, Burke has taken to Instagram where he claimed he thought ‘long and hard’ before sharing his encounter with a female grizzly bear.
"The most violent thing I have ever experienced"
Prefacing his story, the photographer said he ‘loved and respected wildlife’ and that the incident was a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ affair.
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“Sunday afternoon I was attacked by a mother grizzly protecting her cub,” the ex-Army Reservist wrote.
“It was the most violent thing I have ever experienced. I’ve experienced being shot at, mortared and IED explosions.
“I was walking through the woods on Signal Mountain looking to photograph a Great Grey Owl.
“My wife and I had learned that this was a hot spot for the species and I was hopeful I’d see one. I told my wife I would be back at the parking lot in one hour.”
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However, one hour and 15 minutes later, the disabled veteran had not returned from his expedition and said his wife would probably begin to worry about him.
In an attempt to contact her, he returned to his car using GPS on his mobile phone.
Unfortunately, poor service on the Mountain meant that he was only able to see ‘the parked identification’ on the GPS and his current location.
"I saw the mother bear charging"
After he began tailing it back to his car, Burke admitted that he started to feel ‘really uncomfortable’ in his surroundings.
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“I was breaking branches, singing and talking to myself aloud,” he explained, “These are some things that can help prevent a ‘surprise encounter’ with a brown bear.
“I was walking through a thick wooded area in a valley. I overcame a feature in the slope to my right and I noticed a brown bear cub running up a hill about 50-70 yards in front of me.”
Upon witnessing the cub, Patrick quickly unholstered his bear spray.
Meanwhile, the mother grizzly bear began to charge at him.
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Defiant in the face of violence, the Massachusetts native ‘stood [his] ground’ and shouted at the mama bear.
“But as I did she already closed the gap,” he continued. “When she pounced I opted to turn and give her my back and I laid down in the prone position on my belly and braced for the ride, interlocking my hands behind my neck to protect my vitals.”
"She went in for the kill bite"
Unfortunately, the attack left Burke ‘screaming’ as the wild animal slashed his back and right shoulder with her teeth before biting his legs and his buttocks three times each.
“The final time I screamed again. This unfortunately but fortunately turned her attention to my head.
“I believe she went in for a kill bite on my neck. I still had my hands interlocked and my arms protecting my carotid arteries. I never let go of the bear spray can.”
However, as she went in, she bit Burke’s hand.
This led to the can of UDAP Bear Spray he was gripping to explode in her mouth - an act the American claims saved his life.
"I accepted I very well could die"
After hearing the beast flee the scene, Burke managed to put some distance between himself and the bear before he attempted to ring his wife for help.
“It didn’t go through, so I texted ‘attacked’, she called me back and I told her what happened as I applied improvised tourniquets to my legs.
“At this point, I knew that I didn’t have any arterial bleeds and I just needed to slow the bleeding in my legs.”
He then recorded messages on his phone for his loved ones before calling 911 for emergency help.
After crawling into a clearing so that the helicopter could easily pick him up, Burke had his wounds dressed by practitioners before successfully being airlifted out of the woods.
Following the near-death ordeal, the explorer was transported to St. John’s Hospital in Jackson, Wyoming, where he underwent surgery.
Towards the end of his Instagram post, Burke revealed the ‘number one thing’ that he believed kept him alive during the bear attack - reading and understanding the situation.
He also credited having a can of bear spray as a massive help.
“Though I am not sure if I got to spray any at the bear, having it on me and keeping it in my hands while protecting my vitals 100% is the only reason I am telling my story now,” he admitted.
“I accepted on that small hill top that I very well could die,” he added before giving the ‘biggest shoutout’ to the Jenny Lake Rangers who saved his life too.
“The Teton SAR are considered one of the most elite SAR groups in NA and I was so thankful they were there to help.”
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Shayne Patrick Burke
Ella Scott