Lori Price successfully defended herself from a black bear attack in Alaska. Her dog was severely wounded by the bear. Then the bear came after her. She used a 9mm Glock 43 to defend herself. Joe Allgood interviewed her for In Depth Alaska (video link).
On Sunday, June 7, 2026, Lori Price was hunting for mushrooms near Skilak Lake. Skilak Lake is south of Highway 1 on the Kenai Peninsula, about 20 miles east of Soldotna, Alaska. She was almost ready to go home. She had two dogs with her, a chocolate lab, Willis and Chaos her German short-hair. The dogs were not very far away, but the woods were very dense. Both dogs wore bright colored GPS collars.
Lori heard a yip, an expression of alarm and fear from Chaos, then a loud roar from a bear.
Immediately, she heard yelps of pain and fear from her dog. Lori charged into the woods, a dense combination of alder, Devil’s club, and other trees, to get to her dog. As she dashed in, she was screaming for her dog. In a tiny opening, she looked up, and a black bear, with the blood from her dog dripping from its face and teeth, was coming at her.
Lori always carries a pistol and bear mace with her. The bear was only 4-5 feet away as Lori drew her Glock 43 and fired. The bear dropped.
Out of the corner of Lori’s eye, she saw the GPS collar for her dog. She saw Chaos lift his head, and he was a bloody mess. In that instant, the bear got up. Lori reacted and shot again. The bear went down again. Lori’s chocolate lab was trying to push past Lori to get between her and the bear. Lori was holding her back. The German Short-hair, Chaos, was dragging himself to Lori. Lori was gathering herself and the dogs to get away.
The bear rose again, and Lori fired again. She is sure she hit the bear the first two times. She is not certain about the third time. The bear took off as Lori ran down the hill with her dogs.
She got out of the woods, not far from where her 4-Runner is parked. Lori tried to call 911, but the connection was patchy. She flagged down a passing car, telling the driver she needed first aid for her dog. She asked them to hold Chaos as she grabbed her 4Runner to take Chaos to veterinary care.
Lori had been able to get hold of her husband. Her husband arranged for aid to be ready on standby, and to meet her to help get their dog to the vet. They got Chaos to vet. Then Lori dropped off the chocolate lab and went back to Skilak Lake to coordinate with Fish & Game. Lori told them that Chaos is petrified of bears and never would have initiated an attack.
On the way back from Skilak Lake, the veterinarian called to say Chaos would survive and that they could take him home that night.
Lori went on to thank her husband for insisting she practice drawing and firing her Glock pistol. She said she learned that it was necessary to have a good belt and wear it snug so she could confidently draw the pistol without fumbling. She said it was important to practice drawing bear spray as well. She practiced at home with a laser practice system.
Lori Price’s practice is what saved the situation. The bear was very close. She may not have had two seconds from the time she saw the bear to the time she fired.
In an emergency, you do what you have trained to do. She shot the bear, saved herself, and her dog.
The bear was not found, but the odds are it will not recover. Lori’s experience is a good lesson for other Alaskans to follow. Practice and be prepared. Laser systems are good ways to practice drawing and firing, with little expense. The system allows safe practice while drawing, and shows where the first shot would land. Fast recovery from recoil is best practiced on the range.
Do not practice with a loaded handgun in your home or anywhere you do not have a safe backstop. Do not practice with live bear spray inside a building or where other people are likely to be affected.
Bear Spray vs Handguns for Bear Defense: Which Is Faster & More Effective?
Handguns vs. Bears: Shot Counts From Black Bear and Polar Bear Defense Cases
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Firearms have proven themselves to be very effective.
When it comes to defending oneself from dangerous attackers.
“Do not practice with live bear spray inside a building or where other people are likely to be affected.”
Aw come on! Some people take all the fun out of stuff. 😀
Now to teach her mag dump