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Friday, January 28, 2022

Kenai River Bear Cub Rescue!

Three Soldotna fishermen on the Kenai River had an unexpected heart-pounding adventure last weekend that didn’t involve fish.

Mike Polocz of Soldotna (owner of Alaska’s H2O Pros), his son Dustin, and  Charles Mettile came upon a bear cub struggling in the river, exhausted and almost drowned. The mother bear was on land nearby, but the three fishermen decided they couldn’t just watch the little guy drown, so they set to work to try to push the cub out of the eddy in which it was trapped, and safely to the waiting paws of mother bear.

Much of the event was captured on video, but it cuts out before the cub wearily paddled to shore and climbed out of the water.

“My son Dustin and Charles Mettile were in the boat with me that day and it was a total team effort on saving this little guy,” Polocz commented.  “Charles has lived here over 30 years and said he had never witnessed anything like it.”

Once on dry land it gave out another loud cry. The sow locked onto the sound and came crashing through the woods to reunite with her offspring. Polocz said it was an emotional moment for everyone watching.

“There were three pretty tough guys in the boat, and there wasn’t a dry eye among us,” he said.

No wonder Alaska’s H2O Pros sign is a smiling bear! The business is described on the website like this:

As your hometown Alaskan family owned and operated water treatment experts, it is our promise to every customer to provide them with the best and most cost effective solution to their specific water issue(s).

I think they can safely say they’ve found the best and most cost effective solution to someone’s specific water issue. And hopefully the little guy will stay in the shallow water next time.

Comments

comments

Comments
11 Responses to “Kenai River Bear Cub Rescue!”
  1. beemodern says:

    Thank you for making that effort! (<:

  2. Deb Polocz says:

    I am so glad to see that America is as PROUD of my husband & step-son as I am!!! I love you guys!! Way to go!

    • luckycharms says:

      Kudos to them for being brave, and caring – the best kind of people out there. Give them a high five from us Mudflatters!

  3. beaglemom says:

    I expect that Little Cub’s mama had a few words for him about going out too far. But then she should have been watching him more closely. Little Cub’s plaintive cries are still in my ears. I appreciate the efforts of the fishermen in urging him to safety. Hopefully he and his mama will have some positive thoughts about people as a result. At least, about some people.

  4. leenie17 says:

    What a horrible, terrified sound coming from that poor cub. Congrats to those men who risked danger to themselves in order to save that baby’s life.

  5. juneaudream says:

    From ..dipping a twig-end..into a water pail..to ..dip-up a flailing ladybug..to the men blending their energy and outdoor water experiences..to help move that little one..into an area where it could haul its tired little bum..out and up a beach..love of life, and support of life..still exists. Blessings..

  6. @coolgreenpines says:

    Ditto, ditto!

    I will not be forgetting those exhausted, frightened shrieks anytime soon. That poor thing!

    Please let there be a part two. I need to see what happens in the boat.

    Thank you for sharing.

  7. Alaska Pi says:

    Oh. jeez.
    Whew.
    Gonna take me awhile to work the adrenaline through my system after that video.
    Those gents stayed pretty cool under the circumstances.
    Oh my.
    Babies bawling, whatever kind of baby, just tears at something inside.

    Good job guys!
    Gotta go deep breathe or walk around or something.

  8. beth. says:

    Wow! Thanks for sharing…I can only imagine the adrenalin they were feeling! I was sitting on the edge of my chair, rocking and swaying with that boat manouvering around to help that little guy — ’bout wore me out! His cries of “bear, bear, bear” kept me pulling for the men in the boat to have success in the task they’d taken on, though. So glad they were able to rescue the cub. I love knowing there are men of great heart to be found in the oddest of circumstances and places… beth.

  9. Zyxomma says:

    Glad this had a happy ending.

  10. mike from iowa says:

    Hope these gentlemen aren’t waiting for a thank you note from Parnell and the rest of the “Kill “Em All Club”..