Another bear attack in Tennessee!

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Fraser

Joined
Mar 18, 2000
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The news reports that a man and his 8 year old son were attacked by a black bear in the Smokey Mountains. They fought the bear off with sticks and their bare hands but suffered injuries.

The bear was tracked down by rangers and shot.

In the last few years 2 people have been killed by black bears in Tennessee.
 
Fraser said:
The news reports that a man and his 8 year old son were attacked by a black bear in the Smokey Mountains. They fought the bear off with sticks and their bare hands but suffered injuries.

The bear was tracked down by rangers and shot.

In the last few years 2 people have been killed by black bears in Tennessee.
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Why did they have to shoot the bear? That's pretty ignorant.
 
Fraser said:
The news reports that a man and his 8 year old son were attacked by a black bear in the Smokey Mountains. They fought the bear off with sticks and their bare hands but suffered injuries.

The bear was tracked down by rangers and shot.

In the last few years 2 people have been killed by black bears in Tennessee.
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Which is why I always carry.....

Glad to hear the father and son are ok. I love being outside, and I take my kids there every chance I get. One of the biggest worries I have is something like that happening. Again, glad they came through ok.
 
Why did they have to shoot the bear? That's pretty ignorant.
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Once a bear is no longer afraid of people it is a threat. They are often moved to new areas in an attempt to break their habits, but it rarely works and bears are known to return from hundreds of miles away, or die trying.

Once a bear injures someone, there's no other solution than to put it down. It's sad, but there's no alternative.
That explains the slogan: "A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear".

That's why anyone who allows a bear to get food deserves a boot in the a$$. Not only are they a direct threat to the bear, but they are creating a serious hazard for anyone in the vicinity.
 
I was hiking in the Smokies not too long ago and it really floored me that the majority of the people on the trail were not prepared for the trail. Very "touristy" in places and some people treat the trails as if there are no dangers at all.

I saw people 5 miles out with no pack, water, etc. I'm not saying that I would prepared for a fight with a bear, but I would be more prepared than 90% of the people on the trail. We always had a hiking stick or pole and at the very minimum a small FB with us. I always made sure to have spray within hands reach and ALWAYS am aware of my surroundings, althought a bear will come out of nowhere.

I hope all the best to the man and his kid.

Too bad the bear was shot.
 
myright said:
I was hiking in the Smokies not too long ago and it really floored me that the majority of the people on the trail were not prepared for the trail. Very "touristy" in places and some people treat the trails as if there are no dangers at all.

I saw people 5 miles out with no pack, water, etc.
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Sounds like the people I hike with. No pack, no water, food, light, knife, gun, or anything except a cell phone. One guy even carries a pack, but doesn't like to take water unless he'll be out all day. I don't get it. Guess they figure I've got enough for everyone....

About 10 years ago I was on top of Half Dome, after an 8.5 mile hike, and had the people I was with ask me for water (I carried 1.5 gallons to their 20 oz.) The fact that I'd TOLD them to bring lots of water, food, etc. made no difference to them.

Still good to be out there, even if it's with unprepared/unaware folks.
 
Brian Jones said:
It made national news. Some interesting info on this attack and interesting bear attack statistics in this article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26155472/
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Wow - it was on Rainbow Falls trail which the wife and I hiked a portion of while we were there. It says it was only a few hundred yards up the trail so it was pretty close to the motor trail that it's splits off of.

A 55lb bear???? My lab weighs 80lbs, I can't imagine what a 55lb bear looks like. The rangers had to shoot it because it tried to attack the rangers. It also says the hikers did not have any food on them for the bear to attack them for.
 
Young bears, like young people, learn by mistakes and so tend to be more bold than they do when they are older and have learned to stay away from people. It's like the kid who puts his hand in a flame - the pain teaches him not to do it again.

Sometimes these lessons are fatal.
 
Took my wife and 2 year old out for an evening scouting trip yesterday afternoon. I had my maxped versipack with me with all my survival gear (Falkniven F1 knife) and with a .357 in it and I was carring my .300 Win Mag. Came across a black bear sow and two cubs which were a good ways off still, but I was sure glad to be well armed. The motto is when you are in the wilderness you are part of the food chain and as the boy scouts say "be prepared"
 
hwpaintballer said:
Well for one thing it attacked two people but the main reason is it now has the taste for human blood.
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Can this be backed up?

you hear this all the time: "The dog/bear/bunny had to be put down because its TASTED HUMAN BLOOD!"

What make you so sure WE are the tastiest thing around? :confused:
 
mr.trooper said:
Can this be backed up?

you hear this all the time: "The dog/bear/bunny had to be put down because its TASTED HUMAN BLOOD!"

What make you so sure WE are the tastiest thing around? :confused:
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Once an amimal associates anything as a food source, it will be more likely to seek out that source again. It has nothing to do with "tastiest." Just nutritional value...:D
 
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