Posted on 06/18/2007 8:29:23 AM PDT by george76
An 11-year-old boy is killed by a black bear overnight at a popular campsite in American Fork Canyon. This morning authorities are searching for the bear.
The boy was asleep inside a tent he was sharing with his family at the Timpooneke Camp area, about 10 miles up the canyon. The family was camping about two miles up a dirt road from that campground.
The boy, his mother, stepfather and a 6-year-old brother were sleeping in a large tent with several sections, and the 11-year-old was in a section of the tent by himself.
Around 11 p.m. family members heard a scream and a loud commotion. They found the tent ripped open, and the boy and his sleeping bag gone.
Harris said the body was found about 400 yards from the tent in the direction of another campsite, where a bear sighting had been reported earlier in the weekend.
Crews are using dogs to search for the bear this morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at ksl.com ...
There's no real objection to primitive camping --
THE POINT ---
....Is found in my qualifying remarks/conditions for a greater margin of safety in these environs... intentional, alert, equipped and armed security...
Its amazing how many people are trying to rationalize this attack as due to some degree of carelessness on the part of the campers with no evidence to indicate it was the case.
Bears are opportunistic omnivores, e.g. they eat anything they can get ahold of and overpower - roots, berries, rodents, deer, even other young bears, etc. This bear just concluded that there was something edible and available there and took advantage of the opportunity for a meal.
“Common sense eludes us again...”
Common sense is an endangered species in America.
poor kid.
Poor child...What an awful way to go.
“Besides.....I’d rather NOT be camping next to the family which allows their kids to sleep with loaded hand guns.....eh...???”
People who camp or hike n bear country should have a person present who is familiar with firearms and capable of taking down a bear, and approproately armed. Campers hould have a dog of an appropriate type to warn of an approaching bear - just common sense.
Thanks for the info. I’m with you, I don’t like to go to highly frequented areas for the reasons you stated about bears. They’re used to humans and the trash, etc.
I don’t know if you can call it safer/saner, but at least in a less frequented area the behavior of the animals is a bit more “predictable”(?) in that you can take the usual safety measures and have a very good chance of avoiding this type of incident.
Ditto the tragedy comment. It strikes a bit closer to home as my son is 11 and going on his first longterm Boy Scout camp in July (I’m going as well) to an area that has the potential to create this very same scenario. I was already planning on bear bags and canisters but will be putting more emphasis on the precautions and educating all of the Scouts because of this incident.
Thanks again,
SZ
The tragedy is there was no dog with them and nobody who was available to blow the bear away with an appropriate firearm and the ablity to employ the same.
I waste no tears on dead bears - there are too damn many live ones around.
Have fun and stay safe!
cc
So sad. Prayers for this child and his family.
My initial though at the headline was that the step-dad should have been packing, but it actually sounds like it wouldn’t have made any difference. :(
I never camp without my .44 magnum loaded with bear shot for just this reason.
“Wouldn’t’t the bear normally pray on a kid sized animal?”
Yes.
Bears reagularly kill fawns and small game and when the opportunity presents itself, full grown deer, and even other young bears.
They are opportunistic omnivores - if its made of organic material, they are interested.
Not too many people who are prepared ever become human skins in a bear den. It is usually the clueless liberals who are more afraid of firearms than bears that become bear food. Its very sad to see a young innocent child become the victim of the parents stupidity.
Call me old fashioned, but boys should learn outdoor survival from their real, natural fathers (the ones who care for and love them), not the second replacement step father who may or not really want to protect them.
flame away libs!
What if it climbs and iceberg?
Yup. I never go camping without a hog leg.
“But bears aren’t much hunted in the north-east and don’t have much fear of humans.”
In Pa., bear season is soon going to overtake deer season in popularity.
Jersey and Md are the stupid states.
Here they can not say it was a startled mother protecting her cubs...remember the bear bell joke ?
There are many cases of aggressive bears stalking, attacking, and trying to kill humans.
The media does not like to report these inconvenient truths.
Bears will kill baby deers, baby elk, baby mouse...anytime anyplace.
THAT was a great documentary. Showed the whacked-out mental dispositions of hard-core environmentalists and conservationalists.
Apparently this was a problem bear that was not removed.
It may have been a repeat offender ?
Exactly :
THAT was a great documentary
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