No point in making this comment in a Brit newspaper, but, What idiot would go out UNARMED in bear country?
They were aware of reports of bear in the area and yet he goes out unarmed?
In a state where concealed carry permits are issued at the drop of a hat!
I live in black bear country and I go out all the time unarmed. It's very rare for a black bear to attack someone like this. Grizzlies are a whole other matter. I wouldn't go into grizzly country unarmed. But black bears? I've encountered them plenty of times, and under normal circumstances, their first instinct at the sight of people is to run. This guy was just unlucky. They might not have managed their cabin site very well either, re: garbage, food, etc. I guess it wouldn't have hurt him to have a knife at minimum. Sounds like if he could have gotten one good knife jab in there, the bear would have retreated.