Man grabs shotgun, kills bear in house

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — Everett Skinner and his family have started keeping their windows closed at night after a bear broke into their southwest Oregon home and he fatally shot it.

The bear ripped off a window screen and climbed into their den Saturday night, Skinner said.

Skinner's daughter Nicole awoke at about 11:30 p.m. to a strange shuffling sound and was the first to spot the bruin. She quickly retreated to her parents' room to get help.

Everett Skinner grabbed his shotgun and went to the den, where he and the bear saw each other at about the same time. He said the animal stood up and headed toward him, so he fired.

"It didn't even faze him," Skinner said. In all, he fired his shotgun four times, killing the animal.

Skinner said he tried to donate the carcass to a wildlife rehabilitation center that takes road-killed deer, but apparently none of the animals there eat bear meat. Eventually, he used his tractor to bury the bear.

The Skinners say they don't know why the bear invaded their home, about eight miles from Grants Pass.

"In hindsight, you start thinking of all that could have gone wrong," Nicole Skinner said. "We were very blessed that this didn't go badly."

Family members have done what they can to clean up the den, but Skinner says they're probably going to have to replace the carpet because of the "rather bloody mess."

And they won't be sleeping with the windows open anymore.

"That's the last fresh air we're going to get at night," Skinner said.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member