Hunt Is on for Killer Bear in Tenn.

Yahoo News ^ | 4-14-06 | Associated Press

[HairOfTheDog]

Bears are returning to territory where they haven't existed for 100 years.

That's not the case here... This is perfectly normal bear territory, in National Forest land. Still, even with millions of people accessing public lands every day, black bear attacks are rare. That said, black bears who become bold enough to be seen in recreation areas usually need to be taken out. They are a game animal, and many bears are probably taken from this very Forest area every year.

[American_Centurion]

I never took my kids into the wilderness where there was a chance of a bear attacking us.

Either you mean you never took your kids to the wilderness anywhere that you were aware a bear could attack you, or you have never been to a part of wilderness that has bears. One NEVER knows when and where a bear may show up, you don't have to be in the wilderness, even places that haven't seen bears for over a century are getting visits from them once in a while. Your ideas about bears hunting wildlife implies your lack of knowledge on what bears usually eat. This bear is dangerous and needs to be killed.

Some places are worth the risk, because it is extremely rare. Your sympathy for the bear, without voicing any sympathy for the girl killed, the baby mauled, and the injured mother facing the possible loss of 2 children puts you dangerously close to PETA-land. Whether you actually think that way or not, you should have realized your post would come accross that way.

[HairOfTheDog]

The TN Wildlife guy on TV said these bears don't hibernate... very mild winter area. But available food would probably be at it's lowest right now.

[Belasarius]

In a lot of places it's not, "our population expanding." In all of the woods around here you find stone walls and building foundations.

In my WV eighth grade history they told us that the state was 90% cleared in the late 1800's. It was 90% forested in 1967 when I took that class and it's probably around 95% now. All the farms and cleared fields around where I grew up are completely grown up and filled with deer, turkey, and yes, bears. When I was a kid there wasn't even a deer season.

I think there are very few places where they are plonking down new neighborhoods and parks in wild territory. I think it's more like historically farmed land that has been allowed to go fallow.

[gingerky]

I don't think you are mean. I feel sorry for these people, but I also understand the greater point you are trying to make. Certain humans expect animals not to act like animals - "The shark just came up and bit me!" (like that is totally against a shark's nature), or, "I told the bear to stop."

By the way, a couple of years ago there was a thread on here about a bear cub that was pelted with rocks by tourists in the Smokies - it was trying to attack a deer, and the humans just wouldn't have that.

[pettifogger]

Just yesterday, our 7-yr-old daughter said she didn't want to go camping, because there might be bears that would eat you. She had not seen this report. (In fact, I don't think it was even reported yet). I told her bears wouldn't come near people in a campground. Yikes!

Prayers for this family. Cannot imagine the terror, the guilt and the pain.

[CFC__VRWC]

Are you telling me that a bear knows the difference between a human and other wildlife he's looking to eat?

Yes he does, unless he's been fed by or is harrassed by idiots who get all their knowledge about the outdoors from Disney nature films. Bears and other predators have a natural fear of humans and will usually go out of their way to avoid contact with them, unless they're threatened or have been conditioned to view people as a source of food.

And these days, with development sprawling all over and predator populations exploding in the decreasing wilderness areas because the Bambi-huggers won't allow any kind of population control, the areas where you're likely to encounter bears and other predators aren't so remote any more.

[TXnMA]

Required picnicing implement in bear country:

[Leg Olam]

We have a growing population of Black Bears here in Missouri down in the Ozarks along with Arkansas. The population was estimated back in 1998 to number around 200. By now we probably have maybe a thousand. Except for when I was a Boy Scout I've never camped without being armed. Just too many bitey things out there. Anyone who hand feeds a wild bear is being extremely foolish.

[toldyou]

"Prayers for this family. Cannot imagine the terror, the guilt and the pain."

I certainly agree with you. And I most certainly feel sympathy for the family. You're right....terror. And the pain will last forever.

I just was under the impression that wildlife, like bears, mountainlions, etc., will follow their instinct to kill. But a few smart people here were kind enough to explain that I was wrong about bears.

[eastforker]

Mountain lions, thats a whole nuther ballgame there. They do have a kill instinct.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, just misinformed about the normal behavior of black bears. Normally black bears are mostly vegetarian or scavengers of opportunity. They aren't primary predators the way grizzlies are. If people behave the way they usually do, people will be on high alert in this area for awhile, but in time, assuming they find the bear or there are no new attacks, they'll become more complacent. I trail ride in black bear country and have seen bear twice now, but while we always respond with caution, calm caution is usually all that's called for.

This was a very unusual event with a very unusual bear. I've wondered, without any real evidence, about the possibility of something like rabies causing this. This was not a spontaneous and quick attack but a prolonged one involving multiple victims and separate acts of attack.

[HairOfTheDog]

But you'll never see them if they're gonna getcha. ;~D

[toldyou]

Did you see on news, just within the last few months, about the man and his son being interviewed because the shark, on the end of his fishing line, tried to "jump into the boat to attack them?" It was repeated on every TV newscast for two days. My daughter and I just looked at each other in amazement that these two men were accusing a shark of attacking them while they were reeling him in! I am not kidding.

[eastforker]

One thing most people do not realize is that an animal can also suffer from mental illness so to speak, making it a killing machine. Just killing for killings sake. I think thats what happens even in some dog attacks. Again rabies could be an explanation.

[eastforker]

You have evidentley never been shark fishing and have one in the boat with you. Yes they will at times attack and try and bite you when caught.

[eastforker]

I do not mean to be raggin on ya toldyou, but many of us outdoor folks have seen and experienced some prety wild thing about nature.

[Old_Mil]

Unfortunately, you are incorrect. Bears are like other large predators; however their predatory tendencies are moderated not by the fact that they are bears, but by the fact that they are omnivores. Hence, given an equal population of bears and say cougars, the latter proves to be a greater threat to man...

Backpacking in the most remote areas of the United States (Yellowstone or Alaska) is a humbling experience: you are not at the top of the food chain.

Indeed, there is some probability that you will be the object of predation by a grizzly bear.

Picture this: waking up to the sounds of huffing, snorting, growling, and jaw cracking of a bear ripping through your tent intent on eating you. After consciousness slips away, the bear will drag you some distance and feed on your body (often starting in your midsection). Then, you'll be covered in dirt as the bear guards the cache - you - by taking a nap on top.

This is nonfiction wilderness in its finest hour, no?

Ironically, there may be absolutely nothing you can do to avoid the encounter. Good camping, food handling, and storage practices probably help, but provide no insurance policy against either avoiding an encounter with a predatory bear, or surviving one. Sometimes, in predatory attacks, it is doubtful that even bear spray and powerful guns can be deployed in time to guarantee survival.

Are we sensationalizing the terror of bears in the backcountry? Ask the families of Timothy Treadwell, Amy Huegenard, Glenda Ann Bradley, Kathy Huffman, and Rich Huffman. The common denominator of their existence: they have all been eaten by predatory bears in the past few years.

[Old_Mil]

I told her bears wouldn't come near people in a campground.

This is incorrect information. I used to work with a fellow a few years ago who was tent camping and had his tent knocked down by a large animal which he assumes to be a bear by the noises it was making. It lost interest and left.

He bought an RV.

[HairOfTheDog]

They are speaking of grizzlies and grizzly bear county, not black bears.

This is not a minor point.