# Bear Kills Hiker?



## Resica (Sep 23, 2014)

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/09/2...rid7|htmlws-main-bb|dl3|sec3_lnk4&pLid=533946


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## j_seph (Sep 23, 2014)

Worse than Barney Fife ,throwing sticks and stones to try and run it off


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## Resica (Sep 23, 2014)

j_seph said:


> Worse than Barney Fife ,throwing sticks and stones to try and run it off



Darn Yankees.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 23, 2014)

There have been a couple of those here in the Smokies over the last couple decades. Statistically, black bears are much more likely to stalk you, kill you, and eat you than grizzlies.


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## Resica (Sep 23, 2014)

NCHillbilly said:


> There have been a couple of those here in the Smokies over the last couple decades. Statistically, black bears are much more likely to stalk you, kill you, and eat you than grizzlies.



Is that because there are far more black bears and they're spread out over a much larger range?


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 23, 2014)

I think it's partly behavioral differences, too. Most grizzly attacks are territorial (walking up on a bear and surprising it,) or involve a sow with cubs. Very few predatory attacks. Black bears attacks, on the other hand, have a high percentage of predatory attacks where they actually followed, stalked, killed, and ate the victim. And like this case, they usually defend the victim's body and act aggressively when help shows up.


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 23, 2014)

It crossed my mind a lot last yr with the shortage of acorns. Most all bears will haul the mail when they see u but I've seen a few I wouldn't turn my back on.


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## injun joe (Sep 26, 2014)

NCHillbilly said:


> I think it's partly behavioral differences, too. Most grizzly attacks are territorial (walking up on a bear and surprising it,) or involve a sow with cubs. Very few predatory attacks. Black bears attacks, on the other hand, have a high percentage of predatory attacks where they actually followed, stalked, killed, and ate the victim. And like this case, they usually defend the victim's body and act aggressively when help shows up.



This is exactly correct. Between 1900 and 1980, 90% of deaths caused by black bears appeared to have been motivated by the bear considering the human prey. Interestingly, of the 23 cases where actual reports were filed, only one happened in a national park.


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## bigelow (Sep 29, 2014)

But still black bear attacks are more rare than someone getting struck by lightning.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 29, 2014)

Here in the Smokies, with the highest concentration of bears in the lower 48, attacks aren't that rare-bites, scratches, people getting drug out of tents by the leg, that sort of thing. I've seen them close the backcountry campsites in areas of the National Park many times because of aggressive bears. Fatal attacks are very rare, though.


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## birddog52 (Sep 29, 2014)

Well remember anti hunting crowd stopped bear hunting for awhile in that state don,t know if its reopened


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## Resica (Sep 29, 2014)

NCHillbilly said:


> Here in the Smokies, with the highest concentration of bears in the lower 48, attacks aren't that rare-bites, scratches, people getting drug out of tents by the leg, that sort of thing. I've seen them close the backcountry campsites in areas of the National Park many times because of aggressive bears. Fatal attacks are very rare, though.


People being careless with food and bears being accustomed to that?


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## Resica (Sep 29, 2014)

birddog52 said:


> Well remember anti hunting crowd stopped bear hunting for awhile in that state don,t know if its reopened



New Jersey has a hunting season for bears.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 29, 2014)

Resica said:


> People being careless with food and bears being accustomed to that?



Yep, that's one of the main problems. The national park is huge, covering large areas of several counties in two states, and doesn't allow hunting. There are an estimated 1500 bears living in the park, many of which probably never go outside the borders, and have no fear of humans like the national forest and private land bears do.  Add in tourists who know nothing about bears and leave coolers sitting on picnic tables in the campgrounds overnight, or actually feed them; and you have a mess on your hands.


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## WOODSWIZE (Sep 30, 2014)

In The Smokey's years back, while hiking solo on the Forney Creek Trail from Clingmans Dome to Fontana Lake -I had a very aggressive bear come toward me. I stood my ground, yelled, banged my every present Sierra Cup against my knife, just acted crazy, and the bear took off like it had been shocked.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Sep 30, 2014)

Saw this in the sad news a week ago.  Sorry to hear about the terrible fatal bear encounter with a college kid. 



http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf..._predicted_mulshine.html#incart_story_package

*That bear attack was predictable - and predicted (Mulshine)*

September 23, 2014 at 12:45 PM


"Christie Whitman: The first of many governors who failed to address the need to keep bear population down."








AND


http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014...attacked-by-300-pound-bear-he-spared-my-life/

*Carpinteria Woman Attacked By 300-Pound Bear: “He Spared My Life”*

September 24, 2014 11:30 PM


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## MudDucker (Oct 1, 2014)

Anyone who doesn't think a black bear will get after you hasn't been around them much.   I can report from back in those years that a 44 mag pistol can give them a fatal headache.


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## Hammer Spank (Oct 5, 2014)

Ive been around them my whole life. I killed a bear before my first deer. I have no fear of them and nobody else should either. If people would read about them and learn a few things, it would be easy to run them off when they act "agressive".    I strongly believe that people who are afraid of them SHOULD NOT hunt them at all.


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## 280bst (Oct 6, 2014)

Sorry the kid died the way he did. 1st mistake they made was running might as well rung the dinner bell,2nd mistake is they live in New Jersey where the local gov't tells every body they can take care of You better then You can take care of your self. Reckon Christie will lower the Flag for this kid like he did for a Addict.


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