A fisherman from Bedford County has quite the story to tell.

Sunday afternoon, Brad Meck was fishing in the area of the James Creek boat launch at Raystown Lake when he heard a noise near his boat.

His attention turned to the black object bobbing in the water heading towards his boat. To Brad’s surprise this was not a fish, but a small bear cub. 

“When I first saw it I thought it was a log at first,” said Meck.  “Then I saw it coming towards me, I thought it was maybe just a beaver or something like that. Then it got closer and I looked at it an thought holy crap it’s a baby bear!”

Without hesitation, he scooped up the cub and put him in his boat.
 
“It was going to drown if I didn’t help it. I never thought anything else other than get it, help it, and take it to shore.”
 
After taking a few photos, he eventually made his way to shore and released the bear back into the woods. With no cell service out on the lake he hoped it would lead to a reunion with its mother.
 
“I had seen the direction it was swimming in, I kind of figured maybe if the mom swam across first, and because the baby was so little it was struggling. I just figured she’d be up on the bank somewhere so that’s where I dropped it off and figured hopefully they’d get reunited again.”

The Pennsylvania Game Commission told us they understand that Meck acted out of the kindness of his heart but they anyone who comes in contact with a wild animal to contact them.