Brian, his wife Tricia and son Brady were coming back to the landing on Marshmiller Lake near Bloomer, Wisconsin just before sunset when they spotted what looked like a log.
As they navigated their boat closer to the ‘log’, they realized that what they were seeing wasn’t a log at all, but a rather a swimming bear. The bear however, had a jug stuck on its head.
For days there had been sightings on land of a bear with a jug stuck on its head. Now the Hurts found themselves in the position to be rescuers.
Brady took the wheel of the fishing boat, as Tricia helped guide him toward the bear.
Brian reached over the side of the boat glided over the water toward the bear.
“We made the first swing past it and I was able to grab the jug,” Brian said. “And I pulled on it as hard as possible. But then I lost control and slipped off that wet plastic.”
Brian wasn’t giving up though! They made a second pass and attempt to remove the jug.
“When I was right over top of it and pulling on it, you could hear the bear huffing and breathing very hard, just gasping for air,” he said.
This time, as the bear splashed and pulled away, Brian was able to hold onto the jug.
“Go!” Tricia instructed the bear. “We saved our little bear,” she exclaimed.
“Once I got it off you could really tell the difference, because, it was like, it could get proper air at that point,” Brian said, “and it seemed like it revived quite a bit.”
The bear headed for shore. The Hurts herd it plop down on the ground, exhausted.
They thought it best to leave the bear alone once they knew it had safely made it to shore.