Fatal bear attack list...

[Incahiker]

I just found this on wikipedia. I am sure many of you have seen it, but for many of you that haven't, here it is.

Seems like black bears have more fatal attacks more then grizzlys, which I didn't expect. It especially seems like the black bears in Canada are particularly aggressive.

I guess since there are more blacks then grizzly bears the numbers play them selves out, but I still didn't know there were so many black bear attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...rica_by_decade

[4eyedbuzzard]

Yeah, they're more than just overgrown raccoons. A lot of black bear attacks happen in the spring before food sources become abundant. A lot of the fatal attacks are by rogue males as well, not just females defending their cubs. Sows will defend their cub(s) any time of year, but will often break off an attack once they've satified the protection instinct and return to their cub(s). A male bear that does attack is likely out to kill and eat you, period.

[Incahiker]

Well then, I guess I will go ahead and get my bear spray then....

Go figure, these are animals that can weigh up to 700 lbs, they can swat at you and crush your skull in a single blow, or bite down into you and cause sever bleeding. Don't think we would really stand a chance if one decided you were dinner.

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

[Pedaling Fool]

Well then, I guess I will go ahead and get my bear spray then....

Go figure, these are animals that can weigh up to 700 lbs, they can swat at you and crush your skull in a single blow, or bite down into you and cause sever bleeding. Don't think we would really stand a chance if one decided you were dinner.

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

I had a friend see one hunt down a fawn in SNP, all the mother could do was snort and make some other weird noises. There's some truth to what 4eyedbuzzard says.

[Flush2wice]

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

I had a friend see one hunt down a fawn in SNP

I saw a black bear chasing a duck down the river in front of No Way Jose's in Gatlinburg about 5 or 6 years ago.

[Pedaling Fool]

I saw a black bear chasing a duck down the river in front of No Way Jose's in Gatlinburg about 5 or 6 years ago.

How inhumane

[rafe]

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

Ask Bill Bryson, he's the bear expert.








just kidding...

[4eyedbuzzard]

Well then, I guess I will go ahead and get my bear spray then....

Go figure, these are animals that can weigh up to 700 lbs, they can swat at you and crush your skull in a single blow, or bite down into you and cause sever bleeding. Don't think we would really stand a chance if one decided you were dinner.

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

Most don't get that big. 400 is usually considered a big bear. Usually they're more in the 250 to 350 range. They'll go after fawns and injured animals like deer and moose. Mostly they just scavenge though. But here's a youtube of a black bear taking a young moose. http://youtube.com/watch?v=-JVkaMqD5mI&feature=related So it does happen.

[dharmabum]

Most don't get that big. 400 is usually considered a big bear. Usually they're more in the 250 to 350 range. They'll go after fawns and injured animals like deer and moose. Mostly they just scavenge though. But here's a youtube of a black bear taking a young moose. http://youtube.com/watch?v=-JVkaMqD5mI&feature=related So it does happen.

That is wild. i mean, that was really sad to see that baby moose taken away. kind of scary. what do you do if a bear attacks u? black bears dont climb trees do they? and how do you avoid being attacked by a mother bear if she sees you? just bear spray? is that my only defense?

[take-a-knee]

That is wild. i mean, that was really sad to see that baby moose taken away. kind of scary. what do you do if a bear attacks u? black bears dont climb trees do they? and how do you avoid being attacked by a mother bear if she sees you? just bear spray? is that my only defense?

Yes, black bears are capable tree climbers, and your best defense is hot lead.

[4eyedbuzzard]

That is wild. i mean, that was really sad to see that baby moose taken away. kind of scary. what do you do if a bear attacks u? black bears dont climb trees do they? and how do you avoid being attacked by a mother bear if she sees you? just bear spray? is that my only defense?

Research it on the internet. Lots of info out there from bear experts on how to behave in the event of a bear confrontation. 99% of the time the bear simply runs off.

But don't believe for a minute that bears aren't dangerous. They are the apex predator in the woods, not you. Even if armed with spray or a firearm your best defense is to avoid turning the confrontation into an attack, because if a close distance attack occurs you'll have very little time to use either spray or a firearm, and hitting a target given the nature of an attack(PANIC!) isn't going to be easy.

[JAK]

That is wild. i mean, that was really sad to see that baby moose taken away. kind of scary. what do you do if a bear attacks u? black bears dont climb trees do they? and how do you avoid being attacked by a mother bear if she sees you? just bear spray? is that my only defense?

There is another thread, but no, bear spray is not your only defence, and by itself it is neither neccessary nor sufficient. It might be a good part of a system, but you have to educate yourself first.

For Black Bears, I suggest reading this...
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business...ise/index.html
and in particular, these...
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/197046.pdf

If you can find something similar, but more local to your region, that would be
even better. Ontario has serious Black Bear issues though, so it's a good start.

From there I would research the bear demographics and bear behaviour specific to the area you are hiking in. Bear demographics and bear behaviour are effected, positively and negatively, by such things as hunting, camping, forestry, development, climate, vegetation, large prey, domestic and feral dogs, and competition from other predators such as wolves and coyotes, and other black bears. Here is a good start for learning about Black Bears in Maine.
http://www.state.me.us/ifw/wildlife/...bear/index.htm

Get to know your bears. Just don't let them get to know you.

[slow]

Well then, I guess I will go ahead and get my bear spray then....

Go figure, these are animals that can weigh up to 700 lbs, they can swat at you and crush your skull in a single blow, or bite down into you and cause sever bleeding. Don't think we would really stand a chance if one decided you were dinner.

But how often do black bears actually hunt deer or wild hogs? Does that ever happen?

Show me 1 400 lb FOUND on the AT ON CHART?They are KID'S to the west and A.K.

[Ashepabst]

Show me 1 400 lb FOUND on the AT ON CHART?They are KID'S to the west and A.K.

there's nothing to suggest that black bears in the west are bigger than those in the east, is there? sure... there's more out west. i'm no expert here, but...? someone step in.

certainly large, 400lb+ bears are found in the east. just a quick google tells me about an 880lb bear in N.C.; a 615lb bear was taken in maryland last year; a 700lb+ bear in PA shot in '06; a 626lb bear shot in NY last year.

[slow]

there's nothing to suggest that black bears in the west are bigger than those in the east, is there? sure... there's more out west. i'm no expert here, but...? someone step in.

certainly large, 400lb+ bears are found in the east. just a quick google tells me about an 880lb bear in N.C.; a 615lb bear was taken in maryland last year; a 700lb+ bear in PA shot in '06; a 626lb bear shot in NY last year.

Any on the A.T.?

[dessertrat]

Yeah, they're more than just overgrown raccoons. A lot of black bear attacks happen in the spring before food sources become abundant. A lot of the fatal attacks are by rogue males as well, not just females defending their cubs. Sows will defend their cub(s) any time of year, but will often break off an attack once they've satified the protection instinct and return to their cub(s). A male bear that does attack is likely out to kill and eat you, period.

You said it well. Black Bear attacks of the predatory sort are most often committed in areas where there is no hunting, or in areas so remote that an adult bear might have never seen a human before, and has to decide whether the human is food or not upon encountering.

Allowing bear hunting for limited purposes and periods, even in National Parks, would be better for both people and bears.

[le loupe]

while not a statistics professor it seems this is a misleading point.

The grizzly bear population is estimated at 50-100,000 versus 800,000 black bears.

On its face Grizzlies cause 8x the number of deaths of black bears.

multiply that by the interface of the much larger black bear population with the much larger east coast population and you have very reduced frequency of death from encounter with black bear.

[Pedaling Fool]

while not a statistics professor it seems this is a misleading point.

The grizzly bear population is estimated at 50-100,000 versus 800,000 black bears.

On its face Grizzlies cause 8x the number of deaths of black bears.

multiply that by the interface of the much larger black bear population with the much larger east coast population and you have very reduced frequency of death from encounter with black bear.

Your probably correct, for the most part. I would be more nervous around a grizzly than a black bear. However, it would be erroneous thinking to believe the black bear is harmless.

[le loupe]

erroneous thinking to believe the black bear is harmless.

Death is death!

[Pedaling Fool]

Can't argue with that.