One of the most terrifying encounters I think a person can have is to be charged by a Grizzly Bear. A ranger at Yellowstone National Park had to draw his weapon after a massive Grizzly came out of the woods and began to charge at him.

Every time I visit a national park and see the rangers driving around in their trucks and policing crowds, I always think about what a great job these individuals have. They get to work primarily outdoors in beautiful settings, they see a great deal of wildlife on a daily basis, and they aren't sitting in front of a monitor for seven to eight hours like many of us. The one thing I do often forget, is just how dangerous this occupation can be at times.

Since the United States Department of Interior began tracking the data back in the early-twentieth century, there have been 39 reported fatalities of rangers while on the job. This number is much higher on the international level, as many rangers die by gunfire at the hands of illegal hunters. Drowning, hypothermia, auto accidents within the park, attacks by animals and duty-related illness are just some of the ways these park employees have lost their lives, according to information provided by the department.

A video shared a few weeks back on YouTube shows an encounter between a Yellowstone National Park ranger (Wyoming) and a Grizzly Bear. The ranger appeared to be directing traffic near his truck on the side of a roadway when a large bear can be seen exiting a wooded area nearby. As the ranger is signaling to passing vehicles, the bear begins to charge the man.

You can see the weapon discharge multiple times in the video, and the animal turns around and runs back into the forest. It's not clear if the bear was struck, but it is clear that the animal posed a very real risk to the ranger's safety.

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