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.

[tertiary01]

Common sense elludes those who feed the bears and turn them into monsters and those FS employees who trap them and turn them loose to teach bad habits to the truly wild bears instead of killing them.

I consider this poor management much in the matter of allowing artificially managed wolf packs to prey on trapped Yellowstone bison and calling it “natural”.

[eleni121]

The tragedy ...nobody who was available to blow the bear away ...

---

NO doubt.

Damn shame.

[6SJ7]

I’d rather NOT be camping next to the family which allows their kids to sleep with loaded hand guns.....eh...???

Bear Pepper Spray works well too. I carry it on my mountain bike. The canister weighs less than 1 pound.

[george76]

Apparently problem bears trapped in Yellowstone are dumped in states like Utah.

The Yellowstone management plan dedicated all the wolf introduction money to the NP and the beaurcrazies knew that the wolves would leave the park.

[tertiary01]

The wolves have even made it to California.

[Sundog]

Bear Pepper Spray Study

Ummm... you need to be careful how you use that pepper spray. It turns out some bears love the stuff, positively are attracted to it, will seek it out and roll in it to lick their fur to eat it, and enjoy chasing people with it to get it.

Well, I made up that part about chasing people but it turns out it is a taste they love once they are exposed to it. Seems only a direct shot up their nose when the can is held about a foot away is effective, otherwise, spray it on the ground and let the bear stop and roll in it while you try to get away.

[TYVets]

Ping

[Myrddin]

I heard the story on the morning news here in Pocatello. It doesn't pay to camp in a cloth tent in bear country. A hardside camper or trailer is much safer. I choose the safest approach...I don't camp in bear country. The hotels rates in West Yellowstone are competitive with sleeping inside the park in a campground.

[tertiary01]

Apparently this was a problem bear that was not removed.

It may have been a repeat offender ?

Probably involved in some FS research project.

[Rocky Mountain High]

Bear shot?

[TYVets]

A dog can sound the alarm and do even more.

Remember: Man (Freeper kanawa) stabs bear to death

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1670661/posts

[ZULU]

The Major Media has become Disneycized. It started wtih Bambi.

[ZULU]

Tough guy!!

Looks like he has an American Bulldog.

Plotts are good bear dogs - so are those Karelian Beardogs.

[ZULU]

Cougars are also spreading. Atttacks have been recorded in Colorado, California. SIghtings as far east as New Jersey.

[Cowgirl]

I recently read an article that said most bear attacks
are by male bears attacking people in areas that are
not hunted. A tent attack is not unusual. Bears hunt
at night and are able to smell someone in a tent, that’s
food to them. They usually eat their victim 10 percent
of the time. After killing someone they would ordinarily
come back later to eat them if they aren't hungry at the time. I live in Alaska and we are use to people being killed, wounded, and various horrible stories of heroism. I think it is the best policy to have a dog along. Not only do they distract the bear, but in many cases the dog can smell the bear before they come too close. I can always tell if a bear is in the area as my dogs go bark like crazy.
I especially hate the stories about the grizzlies tearing out their eyes. Also, bears eat the person while they
are alive and don’t kill their prey and then eat them.
Guns are really a good idea. Alaska is full of bears as
it seems like people don’t hunt them that much.

[6SJ7]

Ummm... you need to be careful how you use that pepper spray. It turns out some bears love the stuff, positively are attracted to it...

True. Some people think it can be sprayed on items as a preventative. Used that way it is actually more of a condiment!

[NevadaY]

I know this might tick some people off, but...

It seems to me that most anyone that accidentally encounters a bear, wolf, or mountain lion wishes they didn’t have the experience. I know I have no desire to see them - and I’ve been close to and seen bears and cougars in the wild. Had one lion stalking me. No fun at all.

I am in favor of eradication except for in a few designated places (large enough for the animal’s survival) where people that want to find the predators can. Shoot any animals that get out.

Then we wouldn’t have to worry about our kids getting too far down the trail, or out in the backyard, or whatever. No worrying about predators while hunting/hiking around. We don’t let mean dogs roam the streets. Why let worse than them roam anywhere else? That goes for tigers, etc in other countries - why should parents there have to worry just so the westerners can be content knowing there are still tigers around.

Our grandparents almost had these things extinct - most of us agree they were smarter than we (collectively) are now about such things.

[CT-Freeper]

I’ll never understand camping in a tent. Uncomfortable, dangerous and SO MUCH WORK! Sleep out in the back of your house if you want to see stars.

Uncomfortable? Maybe to some...get a thicker air pad!
Dangerous? Only if you don't know what you're doing.
So much work? Isn't that what makes it fun??

Although, I'm pretty much a life-long camper, Eagle Scout, woodsy-outdoors kinda person.

[midnightson]

A .44 mag. is probably OK if you’re awake- we had 2 people killed in AK last year in their tent and they had handguns with them- apparently didn’t get to use them-
Preferred would be a shotgun with 3” Brennicke(sp?) slugs- albeit a bit unwieldly in a tent-

[Fawn]

So much work? Isn't that what makes it fun??

You're a man, aren't you.