If you are out in the wild at any point this summer and you see a wild bear, you definitely should not do what Leighton Vander Esch did this week.
The Cowboys linebacker was recently on a fishing trip and during the trip, his boat came up on a bear that was scavenging for food in the water. If I saw a bear out in the wild, I definitely wouldn’t try to get closer to it, but that’s exactly what Vander Esch did.
Vander Esch had a few extra fish on his boat, so he decided to try and feed one to the bear. Amazingly, the plan worked out to perfection because the bear ended up eating the fish right out of Vander Esch’s hand. Sure, the bear could have lunged forward and ripped off Vander Esch’s left hand, but that’s not what happened here. Instead, Vander Esch might have made a new best friend because the bear actually seemed thankful for the fish.
Here’s a look at the feeding:
For Vander Esch, this was definitely a trip to remember, “Definitely a couple firsts this weekend,” the Cowboys linebacker wrote on Instagram. “Not often you get to feed a wild bear and get a picture with two sturgeon in the same frame. Amazing weekend with family making memories that will last a lifetime!”
If Vander Esch’s NFL career doesn’t work out, he might have a future as a zoo keeper who’s sole responsibility is to feed bears.
The Cowboys linebacker appears to have been vacationing in Idaho, but he won’t get to vacation much longer because he has to report for training camp by July 26. Vander Esch is going into his fifth season with the Cowboys and has already racked up one Pro Bowl appearance (2018) during his time with the team.
