Wisconsin Woman, Marie Ninnemann, 71, Hits 200 Lb. Bear With Shotgun To Save Husband From Deadly Attack

A Wisconsin woman used the help of a shotgun in a uncommon fashion to defend her husband against a potentially deadly bear attack, hitting the animal with the weapon instead of using it for its original purpose. Seventy-one-year-old Marie Ninneman said she was unfamiliar with how to load the shotgun, resulting in her unique assault on the 200-pound creature.

Ninnemann said her husband, Gerre Ninnemann, saw a black bear approaching the couple’s pet dog at their cabin in Silver Cliff, Wis., on Wednesday after being alerted by the dog of an intruder. The 74-year-old man reportedly distracted the bear away from the animal, resulting in an attack; Ninnemann suffering a claw mark to the back and a neck bite before his wife came to rescue him, ABC News reports.

“I didn’t take time to go inside and get a gun, so there I am unarmed and facing an insane bear,” said Gerre, who said he was shocked to see his wife come to the rescue. “She came out of the cabin with the shotgun. Unfortunately, she didn’t know how to load it,” he said. The victim said he witnessed his wife strike the bear over the head with the gun, stunning the animal long enough for the duo to escape with their dog.

The bear was shot after authorities arrived on scene and spotted the bear circling the couple’s cabin, according to Lt. Jim Albright from the Marinette County Sheriff’s Department, who called the situation unusual. “Black bears are usually quite afraid of human beings,” Albright said. “I have not heard of one in the last 15 years in Marinette County of a bear attacking.”

The last highly publicized bear attack was caught on film last week. No humans were injured when a bear involved in a bicycle race against a monkey, at the Wild Animal Olympics event at an animal park in China, approached one of the primates and devoured it in front of guests.