Just received some very bad news.

The little guy pictured above was killed by a bear on Sunday.

Bear was being chased, ran up on a skid trail and was shot by a young woman who hit the bear somewhere around the shoulder area {not sure the exact spot hit or caliber}. Bear wheeled around and bolted back down the steep slope it had just climbed. The dogs were all right there, hard on its heels, with little Harley among them. The bear was charging down the slope, and Harley charged straight into the bear. The fearless little guy was grabbed once in the middle and crushed by one bite by the bear, the bear then dropping the dog and continuing to run down the slope. The hunters were all very close and were able to kill the bear. Harley was dead on the spot.

This is going down hard on all involved. The girl is just sick about not stopping the bear as can be imagined.

Harley was 8 years old and had been in and among many, many bear. He simply could not be caught darting in and around their legs or even hanging on by his teeth to their backs! This time was different. No one actually saw the bear grab the dog due to the steep slope and the fact that the hunters were over the top of the trail when the bear grabbed Harley, but it was pretty easy to determine what happened after the fact.

He will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

I have recent pictures of him, taken in the last week of his life. I'll make up some nice photos and give to my friend, his owner. Very sad.