Story Published: Jul 29, 2009 at 10:37 AM PDT
Story Updated: Jul 30, 2009 at 10:42 AM PDT
Everett Skinner of the Grants Pass area looks out a window where a bear entered his home over the weekend.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Everett Skinner says when a bear broke into his home, he grabbed his shotgun and killed it.
The animal ripped off a screen and climbed in through a window late Saturday, Skinner said. The man told the Daily Courier he hadn't killed a bear before or even hunted in awhile, but makes it a point to keep the shotgun handy.
"In this case, I'm glad I did," he said. Bear and man saw each other at about the same time. Skinner said the animal stood up and headed toward him, so he fired.
"It didn't even faze him," Skinner said. In all, he said he fired four times.
The Skinners say they don't know why the bear invaded their home, about eight miles from Grants Pass.
Daughter Nicole Skinner, who awoke around 11:30 p.m. Saturday to a strange shuffling sound, was the first to spot the bear. She quickly retreated to her parents' room to get help.
"In hindsight, you start thinking of all that could have gone wrong," she said. "We were very blessed that this didn't go badly."
After the bear was dead, Skinner said, he called the Josephine County sheriff's non-emergency number but no one was working late at night. He said he also tried the Oregon State Police.
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.
Family members have done what they can to clean up the den, but Skinner notes they're probably going to have to replace the carpet.
"It was a rather bloody mess," he said.
And the Skinners won't be leaving the window open at night anymore.
"That's the last fresh air we're going to get at night," he said.
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Information from: Daily Courier, http://www.thedailycourier.com