Hiker Says She Stabbed Charging Bear In LA County

AGUA DULCE, CA — A 25-year-old hiker told authorities she stabbed a small black bear that attacked her as she hiked the Pacific Coast trail l in Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Agua Dulce Thursday.

The woman survived with just a small scratch. Wildlife officials shut down the park for a few hours but found no sign of the bear nor a blood trail from the wounded animal.

According to the woman, the attack happened on a trail shortly before noon, said Deputy Trina Schrader of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. After the attack, the woman went to the sheriff's Parks Bureau office at 10700 Escondido Canyon Road and told deputies she had been hiking when she saw what appeared to be bear droppings. She decided to turn around and walk back the way she came, but it was too late. Soon after she turned she heard something charging her from behind, Schrader said.

"When she turned around, she saw a small black bear fast approaching," Schrader said. "She removed a knife from her backpack and stabbed the bear in the left shoulder. The bear stopped the attack and fled the scene."

The hiker only suffered a scratch to her wrist that did not require medical treatment, according to Schrader.

The incident forced the evacuation of the immediate area, and wildlife officials from the California Department Fish and Wildlife searched for the wounded animal. However, all they could find were the bear droppings and no blood, knife or bear tracks.

The park reopened, and officials are reminding people to take these precautions in bear country.

Wildlife experts offer the following advice:

--Bears may react defensively if your presence is not known -- make noise while hiking, talk loudly or whistle;

--Travel in groups if possible;

--Avoid wearing scented cosmetics and deodorants;

--Avoid thick brush and walk with the wind at your back so your scent is ahead of you;

--Watch for bear signs along trails such as scat, tracks and bark that has been stripped off trees;

--Avoid places where there are dead animal carcasses;

--In the case of a bear sighting, avoid it and give it the opportunity to avoid you. If the bear does not see you, back out and when at a safe distance make noise so the bear will move off the trail;

--If you surprise a bear, back away and don't make eye contact and do not run as this could trigger a pursuit response; and

--Carry bear spray and learn how to use it, although bear spray does not take the place of preventative knowledge and ordinary pepper spray is not a substitute for bear spray.

City News Service and Patch Staffer contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock