Man kills bear who broke into his house

updated 9:55 a.m. ET July 29, 2009

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Everett Skinner and his family have started keeping their windows closed at night after a bear broke into their home and he fatally shot it.

The bear ripped off a window screen and climbed into their den Saturday night, Skinner said.

Skinner's daughter Nicole awoke at about 11:30 p.m. local time to a strange shuffling sound and was the first to spot the bruin, the Daily Courier reported. She quickly retreated to her parents' room to get help.

Everett Skinner grabbed his shotgun and went to the den, where he and the bear saw each other at about the same time. He said the animal stood up and headed toward him, so he fired.

"It didn't even faze him," Skinner said. In all, he fired his shotgun four times, killing the animal.

Skinner said he tried to donate the carcass to a wildlife rehabilitation center that takes road-killed deer, but apparently none of the animals there eat bear meat. Eventually, he used his tractor to bury the bear.

The Skinners say they don't know why the bear invaded their southwest Oregon home.

"In hindsight, you start thinking of all that could have gone wrong," Nicole Skinner said. "We were very blessed that this didn't go badly."

Family members have done what they can to clean up the den, but Skinner says they're probably going to have to replace the carpet because of the "rather bloody mess."

And they won't be sleeping with the windows open anymore.

"That's the last fresh air we're going to get at night," Skinner said.

More from msnbc.com WorldBlog: What's a stake in Copenhagen? What do you remember? Take our weekly quiz ‘Three Cups of Tea’ advice for Obama What's at stake in Copenhagen? Will nuclear fusion fade ... or finally flare? World Cup or world stage? N. Korea on display On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM WEIRD NEWS

Weird news Section Front

Smuggled kangaroos freed; man arrested   15-year-old Wis. cheddar sells for $50 per pound Jail frees wrong inmate named ‘Ismail’ 'Elf' jailed over dynamite hoax on Santa Pot in a pot: Donated jug holds marijuana Stolen body of Austrian billionaire returned Held up for hold-up? Thief too late to rob bank Cops: Woman makes threat to delay flight Man arrested in Salvation Army kettle theft 10,000 African albinos fearful after killings Weird news Section Front   Add Weird news headlines to your news reader: