A Nice Spot
It was an excellent day for fishing, and Brad found a perfect spot which came with a perk: it was so quiet and secluded that he didn't even have a cell phone signal!
He really didn't mind the lack of signal, though. He was in for a treat, but that day on the lake turned out to be an adventure...
Not A Quiet Day For Fishing
It was a rather chilly May day when Brad went on a fishing trip at James Creek, and he wasn't expecting anything other than a peaceful expedition.
However, his quiet fishing day would become strange, and not because of what he caught on his line. Keep on reading and find out what we're talking about!
What Is That?
Fishing is all about being quiet and looking at the water, waiting for the line to move and signal that you're in for a treat.
However, all of a sudden, the fisherman spotted some very unusual movement on the lake that distracted him from his line...
Something Floated On The Water
On the surface of the water, something dark bobbed up and down, as if floating. But at a distance, it was hard to tell what it was exactly.
At first, Brad didn't think much of it, assuming that since the lake is surrounded by so many trees, it could just be a log floating about. He was so wrong!
It Has To Be A Log
Saying to himself that it was a log, Brad continued looking at it for confirmation. Soon, he realized that the log appeared to be floating in his direction.
Somehow, the wooden object made its way directly to his boat, and when it got closer, Brad almost dropped his fishing rod!
Nobody Would Believe It
Thinking that nobody would believe him, Brad took his phone out and began snapping some photos of the log coming his way.
But as the piece of wood got closer, the fisherman realized that he was looking at something rather furry. It was then that it dawned on him that maybe it wasn't a log after all.
Is It a Beaver?
When interviewed by the media a few weeks later, the fisherman talked about his first impressions after realizing that the floating object was not what he thought it was.
"I saw it coming towards me; I thought it was just a beaver or something like that", the man said. But as the "beaver" got closer, Brad's mind began racing!
A Wild Animal
"It got closer, and I looked at it and thought, 'Holy cxxp'", said Brad in one of his many interviews.
It was indeed a wild animal, but it wasn't a beaver making its way through the water! The fisherman couldn't believe his eyes when he looked closer at the creature's head...
A Brown Bear!
At only a couple of meters away, Brad finally realized that the piece of debris was not a log nor a beaver, but... a bear cub!
It looked so exhausted, unable to hold his head above the water and it tried to reach the boat and somehow climb aboard.
What to Do?
When encountering wild animals, wildlife authorities urge people to leave them alone and retreat. Once this is done, then the person should call the authorities so that they handle the situation.
But Brad had no signal on his cell phone and this cub was almost drowning. He knew he had to do something, and fast!
Please Don't Bite!
The cub "was going to drown if I didn't help it", he said. So he convinced himself to take out the cub with his hands while praying not to get bitten.
"Just as I was about to grab it, I thought to myself: 'Please don't bite!'", the fisherman confessed in an interview.
A Dangerous Rescue Mission
Unexpectedly, what had started as a peaceful fishing day turned into a rescue mission which could as well be very dangerous.
What if the mother bear was close enough to reach for an attack when seeing her cub in his hands? Nonetheless, he had no time to think about that...
He Was Calm
Thankfully, the first part of dragging the soaking wet bear cub out of the lake was finished, and Brad wasn't bitten or scratched: It was as calm as can be.
It didn't show any hostility towards me. But then again, the poor cub was probably exhausted! And then he had to plan the next step.
What Now?
Now that the cub was safe, what was he going to do with it? He couldn't call an expert for advice, so he came up with the best idea.
However, his next plan also included a dangerous task. He looked toward the forest to the place the cub came from...
Back on the Bank
The fisherman tried his best to dry the wet cub and turned his boat to the direction the bear had been swimming from, hoping that the mom would look for him.
But at the same time, the man prayed that the cub's mother wouldn't be around when he dropped the cub at the other side of the lake!
Maybe She Was Waiting...
"I kind of figured maybe the mom swam across first", said Brad, thinking that maybe the baby was too little to keep up and was left behind as she was already on the bank.
He finally made it to the bank and placed the cub on the ground. The baby bear looked around, then back at his savior.
Thank You!
It was almost as if the furry little creature were thanking the fisherman for the ride. Then, the cub went looking for his mom.
Brad explained in the interview that he never thought anything else other than getting it and help it and take it to shore. He also hoped the cub and mom would be reunited.
Angry Mama Bear
Brad was extremely relieved that there was no angry mama bear around to come and maul him. He was fully aware that he had risked his life, but luck was on his side that day!
He also knew that the Pennsylvania Game Commission always warn people not to touch wild animals, no matter what. However dangerous it was, though, one thing was for sure...
Saving a Life
Brad had saved a bear's life thanks to his quick thinking and bravery. At the same time, the rescue mission wouldn't have been possible if he had spotted the mamma bear at a distance.
We really hope that mother and son reunited, and I bet the cub will think twice before crossing an entire lake on his own again!