All Bear caused deaths in N america

[trailangelbronco]

This Wiki is an account and description of all Bear caused fatalities in North america dating back from current to when they first started keeping records.

Count how many of these victims were drug from their tents at night while sleeping and eaten.

LINK

[inspectorgene]

You a hammocker?

[ChinMusic]

Not many.

It does appear that there is a def difference in behavior from eastern US back bears and Canadian black bears. I am little concerned on the AT but treat those black bears up in Manitoba as if they were grizzlies.

[WingedMonkey]

No wonder I love Alberta so much.

[SouthMark]

Count how many of these victims were drug from their tents at night while sleeping and eaten.

LINK

Note there are no accounts of anyone being drug from their tent and EATEN by a black bear.

[Northern Lights]

Interesting link. Not quite accurate as there are a few attacks and killings that are not listed on there. All in Alberta.

Any bear is unpredictable. We can't use previous data to determine the risk. In my opinion anyway.

I grew up in Northern Saskatchewan where bears would walk right up on your step and watch you, maybe weighing the risk. Who knows. In all my years growing up I never heard a story of a mauling or death caused by bear in our area. And we were always out in the bush, it was our playground.

I lived in Alberta for 15 yrs and every year you hear of someone being eaten by a black bear.

Lived in Churchill Manitoba, yes with the polar bears. They were literally in our back yard, our house was right on the bay. You could sit at your window and watch them wander over the rocks into town and bear patrol would set off flares and back they would go, and so on and so on. Polar bears are predators, they will hunt and eat you, but I only know of one death in that community caused by a polar bear. Someone was stealing from a deep freeze that was left outside after a fire. It was full of meat. The bear had the same idea and helped himself to the human thief.

Now I live in the NWT and you can't go for a walk through town without assuming the risk of running into a black bear.

You just have to respect the fact that this animal can take your life in an instant. And be prepared to protect yourself as much as possible. That is the reality of enjoying life outdoors. Most times the bear will run, but you have to assume this is the time it won't. Just my first hand 2cents

[88BlueGT]

^^ Yes there is. Take another look.

Accounts are still very very rare though considering the amount of poeple who come into contact with bears. You have more of a chance of getting attacked by a dog on the trail than you do a bear, by far.

Realize how the accounts continue to rise though since the 50's.... and counting. Besides 2010, which seems to be a low fatality year. I believe they just havent gathered all the information yet.

EDIT: SORRY CANADIAN, THAT ^^^ was to the poster before you.

[skinewmexico]

Surprised they didn't mention the lady killed in the Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque last year.

[leaftye]

Note there are no accounts of anyone being drug from their tent and EATEN by a black bear.

That's not always easy to confirm with 100% certainty unless you read the coroners report or interview the people involved. Newspapers have been known to leave out some of the grisly details. It's probably best that they do. It's enough to know that you can get killed by a bear. What happens afterwards doesn't matter to the deceased.

In the case of Cecile Lavoie, she was dragged into the woods and her body could not be recovered until the next day because the bear was too aggressive. If the bear wasn't using her as food, why else would it aggressive defend her corpse?

Let's use another example. Raymond Jakubauskas and Carola Frehe. Both were setting up camp, so presumably they were dragged from their tents, and it is known that they were eaten.

I bet James Waddell was eaten as well. He was drug from his tent and the bear was found the next morning half a mile away. More details in this case would surely help. Was the bear found with the boy's body? Was he eaten? The articles about this attack are so old that they might require payment to read them, and even then, they're so short that they probably won't reveal much.

I don't see why a bear would drag anyone into the woods unless its intent was to eat the body. As I said before, dead is dead, so it doesn't really matter what the bear does afterwards. It's enough to know that a bear will come into a campsite and even into a tent to kill.

[leaftye]

Interesting link. Not quite accurate as there are a few attacks and killings that are not listed on there. All in Alberta.

Surprised they didn't mention the lady killed in the Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque last year.

Can you guys update the wikipedia page or send me links to the articles about those attacks so that I can update it?

[leaftye]

@skinewmexico

I checked your bear attack, and unless there were two similar attacks, the women escaped and lived.

[Pedaling Fool]

This Wiki is an account and description of all Bear caused fatalities in North america dating back from current to when they first started keeping records.

(**)Count how many of these victims were drug from their tents at night while sleeping and eaten.

LINK

Did you count how many have? And of that how many were black bears?

I suspect this comment (**) has something to do with storing food in one's tent. Look at the link again and tell me why the black bear(s) drug people from their tent at night. I haven't looked at the link for a while, but I can only remember one instance where a black bear drug a kid from his tent, but it did not mention if there was food in the tent.

Count this, how many black bear attacks were seemingly unprovoked and of those how many were in their tents? By the numbers I'd say we should stay out of the woods so as not to be attacked by a bear. (but I'll keep going back into the woods)

[wilconow]

Interesting link. Not quite accurate as there are a few attacks and killings that are not listed on there. All in Alberta.

Hello, I've spent a considerable amount of time updating the Wikipedia article. I've been in touch with Steve Herrero, who next month is supposed to send me a copy of a journal article with a comprehensive list of fatal attacks - but can you point me in the direction of where I can find more? Note that the article only includes fatalities.

Also, if anyone has any feedback regarding the article (structure, wording, copyediting, etc). please let me know. One thing I'm considering doing is separating wilderness attacks from bears that were held captive (zoos, kept as pets, etc) into two different articles

Thanks.

[Pedaling Fool]

I don't have time to read the whole link, but this is the only one involving a tent that I remember by a black bear. Maybe another, but I don't remember.

You have to ask yourself, if a bear was after a food bag, why did he take the kid. My answer, bears are predators. They have a great sense of smell, they're not going to confuse the smell of a small kid with a food bag. Look at how many other instances of where a black bear attacked a kid. Same reason why they go after a small deer or moose, easy prey.

Samuel Evan Ives, 11, male June 17, 2007
Ives was grabbed from a family tent in American Fork Canyon, and mauled. State wildlife officials killed the bear, which had entered the campsite the night before.[18] Ives' family have sued the U.S. Forest Service because there was no warning about the bear's presence.[19][20] It was the first known fatal black bear attack in Utah.[20]

[Pedaling Fool]

One thing I'm considering doing is separating wilderness attacks from bears that were held captive (zoos, kept as pets, etc) into two different articles

Thanks.

That would be pretty cool, but another thing to think about is, of all the bear attacks out in the wilderness (wild bears) how many are straight up predatory attacks vs. attacks from bears that have lost their fear of humans. But that would be kind of hard to determine, especially from the current write-ups...leaves a lot questions.

[wilconow]

That would be pretty cool, but another thing to think about is, of all the bear attacks out in the wilderness (wild bears) how many are straight up predatory attacks vs. attacks from bears that have lost their fear of humans. But that would be kind of hard to determine, especially from the current write-ups...leaves a lot questions.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not sure if it would be difficult to determine, or perhaps I could've worded it differently.. it would be more of natural habitat vs. not natural habitat. So, bears that entered cabins in the woods, mining camps, etc would still be on the wild list.

Zoos, bears kept as pets in Ohio, the bear in Hollywood used for movies, etc would be on the non-wild list.

[leaftye]

You have to ask yourself, if a bear was after a food bag, why did he take the kid. My answer, bears are predators. They have a great sense of smell, they're not going to confuse the smell of a small kid with a food bag. Look at how many other instances of where a black bear attacked a kid. Same reason why they go after a small deer or moose, easy prey.

There may be other reasons as well. It's tough to know since we can't talk to bears. All I know is that I watched a show about grizzlies and they mentioned that they mutilate the genitalia of their defeated opponent. That's not for food. That's for some other entirely different reason. Folks in around Yosemite warn about double tagged bears. It seems they really resent being relocated...twice.

Keeping your food far away from you is still a very good idea because that smell is probably what would attract a bear in the first place. At least if the food is far away, the night might be over before the bear finds your campsite.

[Pedaling Fool]

I was threatened by a bear once, this one here in my gallery

He did not want me to pass and started making huffing noises and jumping on his front paws. So I stopped, got some good pics, but I was a little concerned and was ready to stab that sucker with my hiking poles if he charged me.

The point being if I was attacked I think it would have been from a bear that loss his fear of humans. This was in SNP right near Lewis Mtn Campground with all them campers and dumpsters. I wouldn't doubt if people have fed him. He's a wild bear, but doesn't act like most wild bears.

However, on the flip side I understand that just because a bear has not lost his fear of humans there is still a possibility of attack, smaller possibility, but still a possibility.

[Pedaling Fool]

There may be other reasons as well. It's tough to know since we can't talk to bears.

I understand.

[wilconow]

This Wiki is an account and description of all Bear caused fatalities in North america dating back from current to when they first started keeping records.

Count how many of these victims were drug from their tents at night while sleeping and eaten.

LINK

1. While the article may imply that it's a complete listing, it's not. Reflecting the fluid nature of Wikipedia articles, information is updated when the references are found. For example, I stumbled upon a couple new ones via google news just last week.

It's more accurate to say that it's a listing of all fatalities that a couple of editors have found references for.

2. For tent fatalities, I'll do a handy copy/paste, with an accompanying link. There are some others where it says the bear attacked a campsite, but not necessarily dragged the victim from a tent. I left those out.

Kevin Kammer, 48, male July 28, 2010 Brown Gallatin National Forest, Montana Kammer was in his tent at Soda Butte Campground when a mother bear attacked and dragged him 25 feet (7.6 m) away. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...lingdeath.html

Samuel Evan Ives, 11, male June 17, 2007 Black Ives was grabbed from a family tent in American Fork Canyon, and mauled. Uinta National Forest, Utah http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...194630,00.html

Rich Huffman, 61, male
Kathy Huffman, 58, female June 23, 2005 Brown Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska The Huffmans were attacked while in their tent at a campsite along the Hulahula River 12 miles (19 km) upriver from Kaktovik http://www.adn.com/2005/06/28/203985...ilderness.html

James Waddell, 12, male May 26, 1991 Black Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta In the Marten River Campground, Waddel was dragged from a tent during the night and killed (no online ref)

David Anderson, 12, male July 6, 1983 Black La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, Quebec Anderson was grabbed from his tent while camping as part of a group fishing trip. His body was found 100 feet (30 m) from the tent http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...,2744228&hl=en

Brigitta Fredenhagen, 25, female July 30, 1984 Brown Yellowstone National Park Fredenhagen was dragged from her tent during the night and killed at a backcountry campsite at the southern end of White Lake in Yellowstone National Park http://books.google.com/?id=gFlz6UKG...=PA60&lpg=PA60

Roger May, 23, male June 25, 1983 Brown Gallatin National Forest May was dragged from his tent, and eaten at the Rainbow Point campground, northwest of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was captured and killed with an injection of poison http://books.google.com/?id=gFlz6UKG...&q=roger%20may

Julie Helgeson, 19, female August 13, 1967 Brown Glacier National Park (U.S.) While camping near the Granite Park Chalet, Helgeson was dragged from her tent. Her boyfriend was also severely mauled during the attack http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...841027,00.html

Michelle Koons, 19, female August 13, 1967 Brown Glacier National Park (U.S.) Koons was camping with a group at the Trout Lake campsite. A bear invaded their camp, and while other campers climbed up trees, Koons was caught in her sleeping bag, and attacked http://helenair.com/lifestyles/artic...cc4c03286.html