Fatal Bear Attack - "they sacttered"

[Macchina]

This thread was sad until I got to that sandwich. I would lose a couple fingers on my left hand for a story like that.

 

[Cougar Allen]

they scattered

That's what you're supposed to do when a monster is after you, right? Let's split up so he can kill us one at a time! That's what they always do in the horror movies....

 

[Thomas Linton]

That's what you're supposed to do when a monster is after you, right? Let's split up so he can kill us one at a time! That's what they always do in the horror movies....

That's after the power goes out and you hear a strange noise in the basement. 0___0

And you go down the stairs.

Without a flashlight.
---

 

[Curveman]

It's really a sad story and I feel for that man's family and friends. I've hunted bears with my longbow for years. The last time I hunted Quebec a woman was attacked and killed by a black bear. She was just out clearing brush with her game management husband.

A couple of points I'd like to make: Black bears rarely protect their cubs like brown bears are want to do so even if you see cubs, don't panic. Don't try to play dead with a black bear-that may offer some protection from the browns as browns are more territorial and generally just want to neutralize the threat. Most black bear attacks however are predatory in nature i.e. they are attacking you to kill and eat you! Try to play dead through that experience! The black bear that is going to attack is likely to move in front of you and calmly approach you without any fear. Do NOT run or scream at the bear but talk to it in a calm voice while backing away slowly and avoid eye contact! Make louder noises if that doesn't work. Eye contact-staring, is a sign of aggression to a bear! Running will likely trigger the predatory instinct! Do NOT climb a tree-(see previous statement)! Make noise when you hike. Hunting them up close is dangerous-fight or flight zone-be careful!

 

[Woods Walker]

It's easier to say don't run away from the comfort of the computer keyboard. This isn't something people get to practice to perfection. On a side note it appears the state's attempt at bear contraceptives (I kid you not) was a failure. I could go on but don't want to break forum rules against politics.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Good advice may still be hard to follow. That does not change the fact that it's good advice.

Even simple things are often hard to do.

 

[kvaughn]

It's easier to say don't run away from the comfort of the computer keyboard. This isn't something people get to practice to perfection. On a side note it appears the state's attempt at bear contraceptives (I kid you not) was a failure. I could go on but don't want to break forum rules against politics.

--The bears probably had a hard time putting the contraceptives on without an opposable thumb.--KV

 

[Bob W]

Considering that New Jersey is the most overpopulated state in the country (human population density) and it has a large black bear population, I'm surprised that there aren't more serious encounters.

Black bears are scavengers, not hunters. But they are stronger and larger than humans, and they can eat us if motivated to do so. Further information on that particular bear's background would be insightful. Was it sick? Was it habituated, and therefore unafraid of the hikers? Was it starving?

No one had been killed by a black bear in New Jersey since 1852...

Just a freak random event that's inevitable from time to time, like being hit by a meteorite.

So one person is killed by a bear every 150 years. Meanwhile, 400 people in New Jersey are killed annually by other people!
Only one of these likelihoods is worth worrying about.

 

[mete]

The infant that was killed here in the Catskills -witnesses didn't think the authorities killed the right bear !! It was a camp where people would often just throw food at , not into a dumpster .So food was always there as were the bears ! The infant as they usually are had the smell of milk so the death might have been unintentional.
People who feed bears should have very strict punishment. Food is a bear's first consideration especially now as hibernation is getting close.

 

[Bob W]

Mete, I didn't know about that case. Very sad and totally unnecessary.

People who feed bears should have very strict punishment.

Whoever played a role in habituating the bear is ultimately responsible for the fatality.

--------

Looking up the story, this seems totally bizarre:

When she [the mother] heard warning cries from neighbors, she grabbed the two older children and took them to the bungalow, the police chief said. While she was gone, the bear picked up the infant in his mouth and ran...

So the bear didn't grab the child until it was left alone. WTF?!?

Young children pose a new level of risk when outdoors, because literally, (I'm not trying to be funny), they're simply laying there waiting to be eaten. Any sort of scavenger (black bear, coyote, etc.) or hunter (fox, cats, etc.) would happily grab a defenseless infant left alone.

 

[Woods Walker]

Good advice may still be hard to follow. That does not change the fact that it's good advice.

Even simple things are often hard to do.

No one said it wasn't good advice.

 

[Bob W]

I doubt that it would have gotten too close to a group of 5 people and if it did then at the very least it's 5 against 1. But they scattered and ran and the bear likely went for the nearest/slowest.
I can understand if it were kids or teens they might panic and run, but you'd expect 20-somethings to have at least a little more sense.
It reminds me of the old joke; I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you. But that's a just joke, in real life freaking stick together.

The four people not eaten by the bear are probably glad they split up and ran.

 

[Miao]

I guess it's true, you don't need to outrun the bear, you just need to outrun your slowest friend.

 

[22-rimfire]

Esav , not too long ago one of the NJ politicians complained about bears moving in from PA. He wanted guards standing on the border to prevent this !! LOLLOL

And they complain about guns coming from PA too.... hmmmm, guns and bears. Seems like a good match to me.

You need to pay attention if you are on the ground and the bear is close to you. The young males seem to be the most aggressive based on what I have read. Maybe they are just hungry and are pushed out by larger more dominant bears from their territory.

 

[B34NS]

Been followed by a bear similar to this once. They're just waiting for you to trip backwards. That way they can see what treats you have in your bag or pocket. Yea, liberating them from you will probably ruin your day/life. Eventually they just get bored like dogs and go their own way. Hard to teach people not to bring bear bait with them on the trail, but I'd never need to shoot a black bear unless I have a valid hunting tag. We lose enough of them to human stupidity as is. Even harder is teaching people to maintain control of the situation without exhibiting prey like responses. Otherwise it just further intrigues them. Standing your ground with noise and bear spray is about all you really need.

Not my video, but what I was talking about, they just persistently keep following you, my occurance wasn't as long as these guys though.
[video=youtube;9ifkzAdplwI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ifkzAdplwI[/video]

 

[lazy otter]

I've been in many black bear encounters and never had an issue. They all spooked easy and really paid me no mind at all which has given me a very relaxed attitude toward them which isn't safe and I know this but I've been exposed to them since I was a kid and learned their behaviors pretty well. As you get more new and not as experienced people in the woods incedents are gonna happen so education is key for the safty of people and animal alike.

 

[B34NS]

Same here Lazy otter, and couldn't agree more about new campers/hunters.

One of the best tricks we learned from NPS rangers was to use a road flare in a stand off encounter instead of bear spray, but have never had to use it, banging on a pan seems to work pretty well.

 

[lazy otter]

With all the outdoors shows your gonna get more people interested in the outdoors which is a good thing but they may not be prepared for certain things like critter encounters. Now where I am I can carry a firearm into the park system but honestly it's more for people and coyotes. As you said loud noise Ect sends them running my buddy used to take firecrackers with him and they worked real well. Also they smell bad too I can always smell them before I see them...lol

 

[gadgetgeek]

B34NS Not sure where you are from (frisco I would guess from your info, but don't want to assume) Or were you grew up. Regardless, I used to work in that area where that film was shot, and I fully agree with you, and so do a few friends who have been around black bears before. That one is almost certainly a fed bear. My suspicion is that someone working in the oil field up there either left some food out, or had an encounter and dropped some food, maybe for that bear, maybe for its momma, since that one looks like its trying to find new territory, it got pushed closer to town than an experienced bear would have gone (going by size for age, looks healthy and young) He's just following along to see where this game is going to go. Wondering how far he has to follow this guy before he drops something good. I highly suspect that bear is now an ex-bear by this point, that part of the world is hard on bears who misbehave.

 

[B34NS]

B34NS Not sure where you are from (frisco I would guess from your info, but don't want to assume) Or were you grew up. Regardless, I used to work in that area where that film was shot, and I fully agree with you, and so do a few friends who have been around black bears before. That one is almost certainly a fed bear. My suspicion is that someone working in the oil field up there either left some food out, or had an encounter and dropped some food, maybe for that bear, maybe for its momma, since that one looks like its trying to find new territory, it got pushed closer to town than an experienced bear would have gone (going by size for age, looks healthy and young) He's just following along to see where this game is going to go. Wondering how far he has to follow this guy before he drops something good. I highly suspect that bear is now an ex-bear by this point, that part of the world is hard on bears who misbehave.

Yep, born and raised in CA, in SF. If you go an hour north of here, or any other direction for more than 3 hours, and you're in black bear country. Since I was a kid we were always told, a fed bear is a dead bear. They're just a part of being in the woods, but certainly gives you a healthy respect for your forrest neighbors. Black bears that haven't been fed by people, tend to "bluff" charge and get up close, but they almost always stop. Most people mistake this for a real attack and the bear gets killed. Just learning their behavior in one's neck of the woods I feel like is good enough.