A 65-year-old Winnipeg man is home recovering after being attacked and nearly killed by a black bear near Sioux Lookout, ON this past weekend.
Gord Shurvell was getting ready to go fishing around 6 a.m. Saturday morning when he made a pit stop to the outhouse.
Just as he was about ready to leave, Shurvell said he came face to face with a black bear.
The 250 pound animal squeezed its way in, grabbed Shervell by the shoulder and dragged him out of the outhouse.
"He comes up and I knew, I knew he meant business then," he said. "Like I've been on the bush a lot and with bears and that (but I) never, never dreamed of this."
Unable to get free, Shervell said the bear then grabbed him by the back of the neck.
Luckily, his friend of 55 years who was in the chalet heard his screams.
Danny Alexander, 63-year-old, rushed outside with a gun. He says he decided to get close to the bear to avoid shooting his friend by mistake.
"Just as I moved over the bear dropped Gordie and turned around and looked at me," said Alexander. "That was the best thing that ever happened."
He then fired one fatal shot at the bear's head.
Shervell needed 12 stitches in his head and has several claw and bite marks on his body, but is grateful to his friend who saved his life.
He now calls him "Sure Shot."
The ordeal also landed Shervell with a nickname; he's now lovingly referred to as "Bear Bait."
-- with a report from CTV's Caroline Barghout
