Bear Drags Sleeping Teen From Hammock on Campsite

Seems to be a lot of black bear attacks lately. Thinking they're loosing their fear of people and hanging around for easy food garbage
 
bore said:
Seems to be a lot of black bear attacks lately. Thinking they're loosing their fear of people and hanging around for easy food garbage
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I was surprised that one was brave enough to come into the campsite--
 
What black bears:confused: I have never seen a black bear in the woods around where I live and I don't even make all that much noise in the woods.
 
Wow. Thanks for posting this. I wasn't aware of it. Can't say that I would enjoy waking up to old Smokey tugging at me.

I wonder how the park officials would react if that black bear was shot and killed at the location with a handgun no less inside the park? I honestly think they would rather that they "do it" even after an injury or death of a park visitor.

Bear populations are increasing and there seems to me an increasing incidence of human-bear encounters overall. But there are more people in the woods now in THEIR home. The first black bear that I have seen in the woods was when I was in my teens in PA. It was a thrill. I have since seen quite a few in the woods relative to the amount of time I spend in the woods.
 
pitdog said:
Probably thought it was a giant Taco with him being in a hammock !
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Bear burrito was the old name for a camping hammock, but it USED to be a joke. This is the first time I've heard of it actually happening:eek: It seems like wildlife is fighting back nowadays. Between the bear, mountain lions, dog packs, and sharks, you hardly safe outside of your living room.

Tragically, we recently had a young boy killed by wandering dogs in his yard in a nearby semi-rural area. Those who think the woods (or streets) are safe to wander with a bear bell and positive attitude are delusional. I learned at a young age why ranchers shot dog packs on sight.
 
I've had bears huff and snort at me, and one time a bear peed on me, but I've never been dragged from a hammock. :)

There could be several explanations for the incident.
Bears are naturally very curious. They are scavengers after all, always on the lookout for food. Could be the bear didn't know it was a person.
Or it could have been a habituated bear, having eaten people food and trash before. This is common in neighborhoods and developed campgrounds, food and trash left out by slobby campers and careless residents. Eventually the bears associate humans with food, and become unafraid.
Or perhaps the boy smelled like food, soap, perfume, deodorant, or anything at all that smelled edible.
 
baldtaco-II said:
A dry taco is a friend to no-one.
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now that i'm warming up to hammock this article comes out...oh boy.
 
I think in the big scheme of things, it's still very rare.

But as more and more people enter the woods, many not following the rules. These incidences will most like increase. Many folks don't take black bears as seriously as they do brown bears. Sometimes with bad results.

Another factor may have been the weather. It has been dry up this way, I don't know about down there. But with periods of dry weather we will see black bear move lower in search of water.

Could be any number of reasons for it. Either way, it usually ends up being bad for both people and bear.
 
Park officials have said they did everything right and followed the rules. Sometimes nature is just unpredictable and no one is at fault.
 
panzertroop said:
Park officials have said they did everything right and followed the rules. Sometimes nature is just unpredictable and no one is at fault.
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So true.

We're all much more likely to die of cancer or heart attacks than bear attacks.
 
When I'm in the Smokies, I am constantly looking for black bears. I hope for contact, just not close contact.

It appears that they were over in the Hazel Creek area (NC). It's popular for trout fishermen who want to fish a larger stream that does not have the fishing pressure many of the creeks have inside the park. Access is by water unless you want to hike up from the dam.
 
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