NJ Man Killed By Bear

[imscotty]

Here's a great video that was on you tube via discovery channel off what he probably should of done. Running was a bad idea. This man states the attach went on for over an hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWHNIbS8cE

JohnnySnook, that is a very interesting video. My opinion is the person in the video was in grave danger when the bear drove him into the water. I certainly would not seek water for safety against a bear.

This video also made me realize how an aggressive bear could drive a hiker deep into thick brush or swamp where they might never be found. Even if the bear did not kill, fear and hypothermia or drowning could do the rest. Could this be the explanation behind some missing person cases? Yes, I realize this is an unlikely occurrence.

[Pedaling Fool]

Could this be the explanation behind some missing person cases? Yes, I realize this is an unlikely occurrence.

I imagine that black bear would have been more aggressive then what we saw in the video, if faced with a smaller the hiker. If that guy was, say a 10-year old kid or a small female, he would have probably been more aggressive.

It seemed to me that the bear was hesitating, basically sizing up this guy; I would have gotten a stick, at least at the ready and very much ready to strike in the face area.

[coach lou]

I hope to never encounter a bear. I am perfectly fine never seeing one.

You will be in awe the day you do......and it is not in a zoo.

[saltysack]

That statement is not correct....

in the GSMNP----bears in the cataloochee valley have preyed upon elk calves...

that is one reason the elk have started to move to other parts of the park...

Kim Delozier writes about it in his boos (which another person has posted about)..

also, there was a newspaper article recently in the knoxville news sentinel that told the story about how a mama elk after losing her calves to bear---learned to move to another part of the park just to give birth....after she did, she would wander back to cataloochee....

As a generalization bears are scavengers...will eat what they can get there paws on....they really like the after birth from elk and deer but given easy meal a newborn calf/fawn fit the bill....I came across this tree last winter while hiking near roan mtn a bear had been shredding trying to get to grub


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[MuddyWaters]

There are no absolutes. 99.9% of bears may flee from you, that doesn't mean the other .1% doesn't exist. Just like people, there's bound to be a few bad ones.

They shouldn't have run, they shouldn't have split up. The others are responsible for their friends death.

[wnderer]

saltysack, that picture reminds me of my first bear encounter.

I was day hiking in Sequoia National Park. It was the end of the day and I was really beat and heading back to the car. I walked by one of those giant logs they have lying there. I looked down and there was a bear tearing the log apart so close I could of patted it on the head. The bear didn't notice me at first. I was kind of burned out from hiking, so at first I didn't realize what was going on. When I realized I was standing next to a wild bear, I said 'Ohhhhh'. Which was a mistake. The bear jumped back. I turned to run. The bear jumped up on the log and then I remembered you're not suppose to run away from a bear. So I put my hands over my head and walked backwards away from the bear. I got some distance away and the bear went back to the log. I had to wait for the bear finish with the log before I could go to my car.

That's the rule I remember being told as a kid. Don't run away from a bear. A bear can out run you. Back a way from a bear with your hands over your head to make yourself look as big as possible.

[imscotty]

You will be in awe the day you do......and it is not in a zoo.

I agree with Coach Lou. Every bear sighting I have had has been an absolute thrill and a privilege. This unfortunate story may make me more cautious, but it will not diminish my desire to see these magnificent animals in the wild.

[rocketsocks]

I imagine that black bear would have been more aggressive then what we saw in the video, if faced with a smaller the hiker. If that guy was, say a 10-year old kid or a small female, he would have probably been more aggressive.

It seemed to me that the bear was hesitating, basically sizing up this guy; I would have gotten a stick, at least at the ready and very much ready to strike in the face area.

Which weighs more billy club, bear spray....I'll take the billy ever day.

[imscotty]

They shouldn't have run, they shouldn't have split up. The others are responsible for their friends death.

I agree they should have stuck together and not run MuddyWaters, but I also think it best not to judge this situation too harshly. In a surprise and a panic situations can unfold quickly and in a split second it is easy to make a mistake. I am sure they already carry a heavy burden at the loss of their friend.

[saltysack]

I agree with Coach Lou. Every bear sighting I have had has been an absolute thrill and a privilege. This unfortunate story may make me more cautious, but it will not diminish my desire to see these magnificent animals in the wild.

Agree 100%!!! I trust bears more than most people!


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[Tuckahoe]

They shouldn't have run, they shouldn't have split up. The others are responsible for their friends death.

And wow! That's a lot of derp right there.

[MuddyWaters]

Non-hikers, including family members have asked me if I was afraid I'd be eaten by a bear.

My response is usually, " if it happens, it happens. I'd rather be killed by a bear, than die of a heart attack behind my desk at work".

And I'm serious.

[HooKooDooKu]

... The most frequent reason for a black bear attack is a mother bear protecting a cub.

I thought there was a recent discussion that said that this was false...

Grizzly mothers are likely to attack humans because male grizzlies will try to kill cubs.

But when a mother black bear sense danger, she and her cubs will attempt to get out of harms way by climbing trees (i.e. even small cubs are very good climbers).

...at least that is my current understanding of the difference between a mother grizzly and a mother black bear.

[wookinpanub]

Could you post the names of these books for us?
Its always interesting reading the comments. Its crazy how guy says he sees them walk thru his yard but says if he sees one when he's outside he's going to run. Then it became a gun and knife issue also.
We all know that bears have become very abundant in certain areas of NJ and New York. We have family friends that live in a small town in upstate NY. They have flocks of wild turkeys, herds of deer that eat everything in your yard, and bears around all the time. During the summer everyone is on alert. So far nothing bad has happened.
From the pictures posted in offshore's link it doesn't look like any of the parks signs have bear warnings and how to react to one.

Bear in the Back Seat: Adventures of a Wildlife Ranger (1 and 2)

[JohnnySnook]

So I've done a bit more research and yes the odds are very slim of being attacked in the lower 48 but that doesn't mean as there are more bears and more people that these numbers won't change.
Here is a video by one of the top bear researchers University of Calgary professor emeritus Dr. Stephen Herrero. He has written many other papers on bears that are listed in the link below this one.

Some very interesting facts.
92% of black bear kills on humans are by male black bears.
I think he states 80% of deaths due to black bears have occurred since 1960.
We'll I'll just let you let watch the video and read the article.

http://phys.org/news/2011-05-beware-...ale-black.html

Some of the article he's written are in this link. you have to sign up to certain websites to read the full reports which I'm going to do.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/advan...rchRowCriteria[0].queryString=%22Stephen%20Herrero%22&searchRowCrit eria[0].fieldName=author&start=1&resultsPerPage=20

Just think of the odds and keep hiking and pray your not one of the on average 2 people killed per year. Also remember being bitten by a snake, being attacked by bees, or killed in many other ways while hiking are more likely than being killed by a black bear.

[JohnnySnook]

Thanks for book names. I'll check them out. My OCD has kicked on this subject.

[Odd Man Out]

I agree they should have stuck together and not run MuddyWaters, but I also think it best not to judge this situation too harshly. In a surprise and a panic situations can unfold quickly and in a split second it is easy to make a mistake. I am sure they already carry a heavy burden at the loss of their friend.

Agree. I think the point of analyzing this situation is not to place blame but to help others understand what to do in case they find themselves in similar situations.

[MuddyWaters]

This is not only rare, its unheard of.

If im recalling correctly, statically, there are NO bear attacks on groups of 5 or greater. Even including grizzlys. Not talking deaths, just attacks.

Where large groups were attacked, it because they were strung out and separated.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Hmmm....bears and gunmen....killers abound in the NJ woods. Is this Kismet telling Snacktime and me that we shouldn't be hiking there this week?

[Feral Bill]

Hmmm....bears and gunmen....killers abound in the NJ woods. Is this Kismet telling Snacktime and me that we shouldn't be hiking there this week?

No.

How many wrecks on the road from your home to Jersey this month?