Watch: Spooked Bear Nearly Tramples Turkey Hunter

by
posted on May 12, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

I've mentioned before that turkey hunters put themselves at risk. Heck, earlier this spring we shared the video of a Texas hunter who had a snake nearly slither right up his pants. The woods are awfully active in the spring, and those of us who hunt gobblers often find ourselves right in the middle of things—and seated firmly on the ground, no less.

This latest video (which is embedded above) isn't reptile-related, but it's another close shave. In a video that the owner claims was filmed in Pennsylvania, a turkey hunter nearly gets run over by a black bear. No, this isn't a bear charging the hunter himself—the bruin's just spooked by something on the horizon, and doesn't seem to realize that it sprints within feet of whoever is holding the camera. The audio isn't great, but it sounds to me like there may be a barking dog or something of that nature in the distance, which is enough to get the bear moving.

According to the description that's paired with the video, the hunter continued on with his turkey hunting, and later called in a tom—though not close enough to score a kill. An exciting morning, to say the least.

Like I said, the video's embedded above. I'd encourage you to give it a look.

Latest

W H2026 04 F Hog Texas Graves 425888
W H2026 04 F Hog Texas Graves 425888

Texas, Hogs and Thermals

Follow along as Brian McCombie indulges in his favorite trio: Texas, hogs and thermals.

New for 2026: Real Avid AR-15/AR-10 Master Collections

Real Avid has taken its AR-15 and AR-10 tooling and maintenance products and bundled them into anew Master Collections series, providing AR-platform fans with one-stop solutions to meet their specific AR needs.

Turkey Decoys All Season Long

Opening day of turkey season was rainy and cold. However, thanks to scouting and trail cameras, Scott Haugen had a plan. Matter of fact, from the first day to the last, Scott has a way to set the decoys to bring the birds in. Curious? Read on for some great strategies.

New for 2026: Hornady .223 WSSM and .243 WSSM Superformance Varmint

Hornady has announced the availability of .223 WSSM 55-grain V-Max and .243 WSSM 75-grain V-Max loads in the Superformance Varmint line.

#SundayGunday: Benelli M4 EXT

On this week's #SundayGunday, we’re checking out a true stalwart of the firearms world, the Benelli M4. Long held in high regard by concerned citizens looking for a pedigreed self-defense shotgun, quite a few have been plugged to reduce capacity, and used in the turkey woods over the years, as a true multi-purpose scattergun. Why? Well, as it turns out, there is very little that separates a good defensive shotgun from a good turkey gun. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Roundup: Turkey Guns & Gear

Check out our roundup of the best new turkey guns and gear in 2026.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.