Boy Killed by Bear in American Fork Canyon

The Associated Press ^ | June 18th, 2007 | Courtney Orton

[george76]

An 11-year-old boy is killed by a black bear overnight at a popular campsite in American Fork Canyon. This morning authorities are searching for the bear.

The boy was asleep inside a tent he was sharing with his family at the Timpooneke Camp area, about 10 miles up the canyon. The family was camping about two miles up a dirt road from that campground.

The boy, his mother, stepfather and a 6-year-old brother were sleeping in a large tent with several sections, and the 11-year-old was in a section of the tent by himself.

Around 11 p.m. family members heard a scream and a loud commotion. They found the tent ripped open, and the boy and his sleeping bag gone.

Harris said the body was found about 400 yards from the tent in the direction of another campsite, where a bear sighting had been reported earlier in the weekend.

Crews are using dogs to search for the bear this morning.

[george76]

Authorities said the bear, as much as 300 pounds, probably was the same one harassing another group of campers in the same spot before dawn Sunday.

Kurt Francom said his son, Jake, was kicked in the head through a tent wall.

http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_169083554.html

[george76]

In May, officials reported black bears in Provo Canyon and Park City. At Strawberry Reservoir, a bear ripped through a screen door at a cabin where residents had burned food and opened windows.

Officers killed the Strawberry Reservoir bear because it showed no fear when biologists tried to scare it away with firecrackers, the wildlife agency said.

In July 2006, a black bear bit the arm of a 14-year-old Boy Scout while he slept in a tent, also in Utah County. The female bear returned to the campground and was killed.

[metmom]

I’ve heard of campers being mauled by a grizzly because they had had bacon that morning and the scent still lingered.

[GladesGuru]

There is no way the animal whacko types can spin this attack.. Bear have a superb sense of smell, so there was no way the bear did not know what it was dragging away from the ripped open tent.

Please note that the bear attacked a young human, not an adult.

Predators preferentially predate young prey for numerous reasons.

When a predator loses its fear of man, that animal MUST BE SHOT!

Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, and animal rights whackos, America now has an irrupting population of large bodied predators which have no fear of man.

Fear of ESA prosecution, and an agency predisposition to avoid controversy resulting from killing such predators near campgrounds is the probable reason for this tragic and totally avoidable horrific death.

[GladesGuru]

There is no way the animal whacko types can spin this attack.. Bear have a superb sense of smell, so there was no way the bear did not know what it was dragging away from the ripped open tent.

Please note that the bear attacked a young human, not an adult.

Predators preferentially predate young prey for numerous reasons.

When a predator loses its fear of man, that animal MUST BE SHOT!

Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, and animal rights whackos, America now has an irrupting population of large bodied predators which have no fear of man.

Fear of ESA prosecution, and an agency predisposition to avoid controversy resulting from killing such predators near campgrounds is the probable reason for this tragic and totally avoidable horrific death.

[oldenuff2no]

“So you purposely camp in bear/cat territory? Doesn’t seem right”

Fawn.
Everywhere I pack and camp is in bear and cat country. Where the heck do you think they live????? They are all over all the mountain ranges of the western US.
I think you need to do some reading and figure out the reality of this situation.

[oldenuff2no]

Zulu.
I pack a 12 gage riot gun with sabot slugs in my scabbard and a 45LC special run Ruger Blackhawk on my hip. The 45 is stoked with corbon +P ammo. Although not my weapon of choice against a bear the 45, loaded heavy, has the ability to stop one in it's tracks with a well placed shot. I had the displeasure of getting in a situation where I had to use it a couple years ago.
I no longer hunt bear. I hunt most other big game animals but Having harvested black, Alaskan brown, and grizzly bears both with a rifle and a bow. I have no further interest in pursuing them. I pack in the spring summer and fall, and build rifles in the winter. I use one of three different rifles when I hunt. My primary rifle is a custom 280AI, Ackly Improved, which is a wildcat based on a 30-06 case necked down to .284 which is 7MM. From there I go up to a 35W, 35 Wheelen, which is an 06 case necked up to .35 Caliber. If I'm hunting something really big that hunts back I will be carrying a 375 H&H.

[oldenuff2no]

I’ve seen those pictures before , a few years before, and they had a couple different stories hanging on them then.
I don’t thing this would pass the snoops thes then or now.
That is a big bear but there asr some mosters on the Russian side of the ice pack.

[mware]

I checked it out, you are correct there was some question regarding the photos, but the site I went to seemed to confirm the photo and facts.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/giantbear.htm

[george76]

[george76]

This area could use more hunting permits ?

[mware]

This is Bert, the bear used in the movie Grizzly. I believe he died a couple years ago.

[george76]

I think that was the same bear ?

[mware]

A beautiful but fearsome creature. Yes Bert was used in quite a few movies. I think he was even in that flick with Anthony Hopkins.

[ViLaLuz]

Global warming is to blame.

[kanawa]

Jacqueline Perry, 30, female September 6, 2005 Black Killed in a predatory attack at the Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park

I spoke with Dr. Perry's husband, Mark Jordan, in August of 2006.
He was preparing to do some sailing in Ontario's near north by Parry Sound.
He said he wasn't ready yet to go back to Ontario's far north.

He has received some recognition for his selfless efforts to save his wife...

Man earns award for saving wife from bear attack...

"For his heroic efforts, Jordan - now of Mississauga, Ont. - will receive the Star of Courage for "acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril" from Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean."

Also an off duty policeman, Insp. Campbell, was honored for helping out after bear attack ...he was vacationing in the area and came to the couples assistance.
reference only, no live link

[mware]

Takes a brave person to confront one of those monsters. A well deserved honor.

[mware]

Hey you deserve honors too you took on one of those beasties to save your dog with a knife wasn’t it????. God bless you.

[mware]

poster 136 (kanawa), took on a bear with a knife to save his dog. You may have read the thread when it was up.

[agincourt1415]

I've been following Bear attacks for years. They are happening in the Smokies.

My opinion is the Black Bears are too many in population, and they are running out of food.

Anybody who goes to a National Forest with out a Firearm is out of their mind.