Bear attack

[Singe03]

A quick scan of the board did not find this mentioned although it probabily was somewhere. If it is already here somewhere, apologies to the mods and please delete or consolidate.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3793904.html

BENTON, Tenn. -- Authorities hunted today for a black bear that picked up a 2-year-old boy in its mouth and mauled his mother, critically injuring them before killing the child's older sister. The attack came Thursday afternoon in the Cherokee National Forest in southeast

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The family was at a pool below Benton Falls on Chilhowee Mountain when the bear attacked, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said.

Story continues...

Sad story, the reference to "other visitors" makes me wonder if this was a larger campground or someplace car campers gather. My guess is it is someplace where people habitually make food easily accessable, bears get used to free meals and an innocent child dies, a bear will likely die, because most people can not be bothered to clean up after themselves in the woods.

[generoll]

I think this took place at the foot of Benton Falls. Not a usual picnicking spot, but rather a popular short hike from the Forest Service campground located off highway 64 alongside the Ocoee. I don't think we can blame the people for this one.

[colbys]

yeah i saw it on yahoo this morning..man that terrible..

[Panzer1]

My condolences to the family of the little girl.

Panzer

[johnny quest]

of course its early to start suppositions about what happened. but i think its safe to say that we must all remember that when dealing with wild animals we cant always expect them to react "the way the textbook says". whether it was provoked, had a brain tumor or any number of other possible contributing factors....it is a wild bear and we must keep our wits about us when venturing into his domain. God be with the little girl's family.

[Newb]

I think killing the Bear is justifiable at this point.

[Turtle2]

Here is a link. http://articles.news.aol.com/news/ar...00010000000001

[HIKER7s]

Hungry Bears, especially at this time o year are unpredictable. This is very unfortunate. I wonder if anyone was feeding this bear (or bears) before this incident happened.

What especially hard is knowing that the little girl was attacked while running away.

Could of been a sick bear and it could of just as well been the hunger of the bear in a place (assumed) where food has been given to them in the past coupled with the running away of the child. A triggering of aggression.

MAYBE the bear was eating at the time someone discovered it.

[HIKER7s]

[quote/]bears get used to free meals and an innocent child dies, a bear will likely die, because most people can not be bothered to clean up after themselves in the woods.[/quote]



and the terrible killer bears people will again unite to rage war with the wild and its understanding benefactors.

The want to be close to nature and its idiosyncracies is understood, simply because it is a treasure to be held precious.

What is not understood, in a percentage is your in a differnet world, you HAVE to act accordingly. Sooner or later when you try to practice "the wat you do things at home"customs in natures world something will end up causing you fear, pain or in extreme cases death.

It has gone on for so long, the want to be "out there" that is in all of us to a level. It is so sad to know this was a family outing based on just that, a trip in the wood, a memory of good times surrouned by ...nature. What could be a better thought.

Now instead a nightmare.

My condolences to the little girls family and a prayer here for the speedy full recovery for mom and baby.

[Lion King]

My heartfelt love to the family, as this is a tragedy.
The pain of losing a baby or young child is horrendous, I know personally.

The one thing we all have to remember is this.
Its the wilderness, its a bear, bears are wild animals.

We all know, or WE SHOULD know every time we step into the forest, mountains or valleys of the natural world anything can happen. Snakebite, bear attack, lightening strike, falls, mountain lions, allergic reactions we never knew we had...all potential killers, and all things we should be very aware of.

There is never a gaurentee that we wont have a fatal encouter with nature, never. and a 2 and a 6 year old by a pool fed from a waterfall is dangerous ground around Springtime. Especially in the smokies.

Bears eat fish and small prey and drink water, the noise of a stream will cover even the loudest laugh or cry of a child and the bear could have been surprised, and I am in no way saying it was the families fault, I am saying there are proventive measure we all know we should take, and alot of us dont.

I still sleep with my food...as do a great numebr of veteran hikers I know. We all know better, we all know what 'could' happen, but it rarely ever does, especially on the AT, but in our mind and hearts we know there is a distinctive possibility of death by mauling for doing something preventable.

I wasnt there for this, nor were any of you, so its hard to say what is right and wrong with it, but the fact is this, once we cross the line of security from our homes and cars into a National Park, we are stepping into the homes of the wild.

It is thier lands and thier homes, we dont have to like it but we do have to respect it.

Again, I feel for the family, but the natural habitat is being eradicated at an astoinishing pace (Such as the road they want to build through the smokies--which will cause a rise in human/ bear contact as well as possibly increase maulings and most asuredly will cost more bears their lives).

A death of a loved one is always painful, and this is no exception. If nothing else we all should take from this the importance of outdoor knowledge and paying attention to all signs around us.

My prayers are with the family.

[sparky2000]

I'm for the death penalty.

[Jaybird]

Child Killed, 2 Others Critical After Bear Attack In Polk County

posted April 14, 2006

A 6-year-old girl was killed and her 2-year-old brother and her mother are in critical condition after being attacked by a black bear in Polk County on Thursday.

The attack on the Ohio family happened at a campground on Chilhowee Mountain in the Cherokee National Forest about 4:20 p.m.

The victims were airlifted by LifeForce helicopter. The boy is in Children's Hospital and the woman in Erlanger Medical Center.

The incident was off the trail to Benton Falls, where a bear was seen earlier. The campground was closed
after the incident.



Witnesses said the bear walked up and took the boy in its mouth. Others nearby shouted at the bear and threw rocks and sticks at it. The mother was injured as she tried to free her son.

The six-year-old girl ran off during the struggle with the bear, and the bear also lumbered away. The girl's body was later found about 100 yards away.

A park ranger fired a shot at the bear, but it was able to get away.

The mother is 45 years old.

[longshank]

A quick scan of the board did not find this mentioned although it probabily was somewhere. If it is already here somewhere, apologies to the mods and please delete or consolidate.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3793904.html



Story continues...

Sad story, the reference to "other visitors" makes me wonder if this was a larger campground or someplace car campers gather. My guess is it is someplace where people habitually make food easily accessable, bears get used to free meals and an innocent child dies, a bear will likely die, because most people can not be bothered to clean up after themselves in the woods.

Or it could be that bears are bloodthirsty demons.

[Panzer1]

...a bear will likely die, because most people can not be bothered to clean up after themselves in the woods.

Screw the bear, who cares if he dies, he killed a 6 year child. No sympathy for the bear in my book. Let him die.

Panzer

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I normally don't condone killing animals,but an animal that has attacked and killed a human is an exception.

[Mini-Mosey]

According to the news that I heard this morning, it's still not known what factors might have caused the bear to attack. My thoughts and condolences are with the family....very tragic.

[Sly]

Or it could be that bears are bloodthirsty demons.

Actually they're omnivores.

[KirkMcquest]

A quick scan of the board did not find this mentioned although it probabily was somewhere. If it is already here somewhere, apologies to the mods and please delete or consolidate.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3793904.html



Story continues...

Sad story, the reference to "other visitors" makes me wonder if this was a larger campground or someplace car campers gather. My guess is it is someplace where people habitually make food easily accessable, bears get used to free meals and an innocent child dies, a bear will likely die, because most people can not be bothered to clean up after themselves in the woods.

Hmm. Seems like just yesterday that I had to argue the possibility of a black bear attack, and the wisdom of carrying bear spray. Several posters ( including a very arrogent Jack Tarlin ) berrated me for suggesting that bears could be dangerous, I was even called a fear monger.
As usual, the facts have validated common sense. I'll hold my breath for an admission of their faulty judgement.

[Sly]

Well, there's always the possibility of a black bear attack but I think you'd have a more of a chance of getting struck by lightening or breaking a leg.

I'd say Jack's rational is you can't prepare for every eventuality that may happen during a thru-hike and being attacked by a black bear is rare indeed.

[KirkMcquest]

It's been pretty much a yearly ocurrence, hun. Jack's rational is that you are stupid to take minor but obvious precautions. Preventing an attack is not just good for people, but also for bears. Jack is wrong.