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Philip Talbot was driving through the Smoky Mountains on Highway 321 near the Pittman Center when he slowed down his vehicle after spotting a black bear going full attack mode on a wild boar.
“It was really a right place right time,” WATE reported Philip Talbot saying. “We spent the day in Cades Cove looking for wildlife. We were on our way back to our cabin in Gatlinburg and were the first ones to drive up on it.”
The attack scene stopped both lanes of traffic as bystanders were given a rare glimpse into what it looks like when a bear hunts its prey. The guys in the vehicle commentated throughout the ten-minute video as the dramatic scene unfolded before them.
Both of the animals looked tired like they had been running through the forest and fighting for a while. The bear had the boar by the back of the neck and was doing its best to drag it up the embankment and away from the road.
“We originally thought it was a bear and cub until we got right up on them,” Philip said. “That’s when the bear attacked and we started videoing. Both lanes were stopped. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing! I’m an avid hunter and it was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen!”
Click below to watch the bear vs boar video.
With spring coming on, bears all over the U.S. will be coming out of their dens in search of food. Male bears usually come out first in March and then female bears with their cubs in April and May.
Officials warn that people should stay aware of their surroundings when in bear country and educate themselves on bear safety. Bear Biology just released a new video about two weeks ago showing people how to stay safe in bear country. Click below to watch it.