Two men catch a bear with a snake on a forest path

Unprecedented Wilderness Encounter: Two Men Aid Distressed Bear Tangled with Snake on Forest Path

PINESVILLE, MT – In a tale that defies belief and has local wildlife experts scratching their heads, two seasoned outdoorsmen managed to intervene in a highly unusual forest encounter yesterday, assisting a black bear seemingly incapacitated by a large snake on a remote forest path.

The incident unfolded on a sun-dappled stretch of the Lynx Creek Trail, a less-frequented route deep within the Kootenai National Forest. Jeremy “Jeb” Stone, 48, and his long-time hiking companion, Marcus “Mac” Miller, 52, both experienced outdoorsmen from Pinesville, were on a routine day hike when they heard an uncharacteristic commotion ahead.

“It wasn’t a growl, not really,” explained Stone, still visibly shaken but exhilarated. “It was more like a low, guttural shriek, combined with a lot of thrashing. We thought maybe two bears fighting, or a bear and a cat.”

Cautiously approaching the bend in the path, the duo was met with an astonishing sight. A mature black bear, estimated to weigh around 300 pounds, was writhing on the ground, its movements erratic and distressed. Coiled tightly around its right hind leg and lower torso was a remarkably large bull snake, estimated by Miller to be nearly eight feet long.

“The snake wasn’t attacking, not in the traditional sense,” Miller recounted. “It looked like the bear had perhaps tried to swat at it, or stepped on it, and the snake had instinctively coiled for defense. But the sheer size and tightness of the snake’s grip seemed to be genuinely panicking the bear. It was completely tangled, almost paralyzed by the constriction and its own fear.”

Recognizing the bear’s unusual vulnerability and distress, Stone and Miller, who both possess a deep respect for wildlife and extensive first-aid training from their volunteer work with local search and rescue, made an instantaneous and incredibly risky decision.

“It was pure instinct,” Stone said. “You see an animal in that much trouble and you just… you don’t think about the danger at first. The bear was so focused on trying to dislodge the snake, it barely registered us.”

Acting with remarkable presence of mind, Miller, using a long, sturdy hiking pole, began gently prodding the snake, attempting to disrupt its hold without harming it. Simultaneously, Stone, keeping a watchful eye on the bear’s head and front paws, cautiously approached the tangled limbs.

“We knew we couldn’t just yank the snake off,” Miller explained. “That would have risked a bite for us, or serious injury to the snake, or worse, making the bear lash out. We had to encourage it to uncoil naturally.”

After several tense minutes, during which the bear continued its low whimpers and occasional snaps at the air, the combined efforts began to pay off. As Miller continued to carefully agitate the snake, Stone used the end of his own pole to very gently create space between the snake’s coils and the bear’s fur. Slowly, painstakingly, the bull snake began to loosen its grip, likely realizing its “prey” was far too large and dangerous.

Once the snake had sufficiently uncoiled, it quickly slithered off the path and vanished into the undergrowth, leaving a dazed but seemingly unharmed bear behind.

“The bear just lay there for a second, catching its breath,” Stone described. “Then it slowly got up, gave us one quick, curious look – no aggression, just bewilderment – and then lumbered off into the trees. We cleared out pretty fast after that, just in case.”

Dr. Eleanor Vance, a wildlife biologist with the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, described the incident as “extraordinarily rare and incredibly dangerous.”

“While black bears are generally less aggressive than grizzlies, a distressed or injured bear can be incredibly unpredictable,” Dr. Vance stated in a phone interview. “And for a bull snake, even a very large one, to sufficiently incapacitate a bear to that degree is practically unheard of. This sounds like a perfect storm of circumstances – a surprised snake, an agitated bear, and then two individuals with an incredible amount of courage and good judgment.”

Dr. Vance urged the public not to attempt similar interventions, emphasizing that such close encounters with wildlife can be fatal. “Mr. Stone and Mr. Miller are exceptionally experienced in the backcountry and clearly acted with an understanding of animal behavior, but this was an extreme outlier. For most people, the safest course of action would be to observe from a very safe distance and report to wildlife authorities.”

As for Stone and Miller, they’re still processing their unforgettable experience. “We’ve seen a lot of weird things out there,” Miller mused, “but catching a bear, even indirectly, with the help of a snake? That’s definitely top of the list. We just hope that bear and that snake both have a less eventful day next time.”