Fatal Bear Attack in Arkansas by 70lb Black Bear

AmmoLand ^ | October 3, 2025 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

A 72-year-old man, Vernon Patton, was working on a gravel road with his tractor when a 70-pound juvenile male black bear attacked him. The attack happened on September 3, 2025, in the Mulberry Mountain area of Arkansas.  The attack occurred near Highway 23, just south of the Mulberry Mountain lodge. Vernon’s son came by to check on him. The son saw his father being attacked and drove off the bear by throwing rocks at it. From foxnews.com:

A 72-year-old man had to be airlifted to the hospital this week after he was mauled by a 70-pound bear in Arkansas, state Game and Fish Commission spokesperson Keith Stephens confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

“His injuries were extensive,” he told Fox News Digital. 

He added to the Arkansas Times: “It was a pretty severe attack. It attacked him on his face, his arms, his upper body.”

Patton was being cared for in the Intensive Care Unit in Little Rock. It appears he never regained enough to describe what happened. From  4029tv.com:

“Our beloved father, grandfather, husband and hero, Vernon Patton, was seriously injured in a bear attack while he was doing what he loved, working on his land with his family. Vernon is currently being cared for in the ICU in Little Rock. While he remains in stable condition, his injuries are extensive and ultimately not survivable. 

On September 14, 2025, Vernon Patton succumbed to his injuries. From nwahomepage.com:

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ar; attack; banglist; bear

[marktwain]

This was the first bear attack in recorded in Arkansas in over a hundred years. The second fatal bear attack in Arkansas happened less than a month later and 45 miles away.

[Big Red Badger]

70 lbs bear-—
A large German Shepherd.
.

[dpetty121263]

I live on the edge of the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas and see a Black Bear from time to time I will be more mindful now.

[Salamander]

I hate bears.

There’s a sow with 3 brats lurking around my place right now and every time I come home to my dark dirt lane, I worry I’ll get out of the car and accidentally end up between her and her spawn.

[Thommas]

It appears he never regained enough to describe what happened.

He was attacked by a bear and succumbed to his injuries, yes? If he died on the spot, this journalist could have written the same thing. Idiot..

[Thommas]

At 72, one is not likely to survive an attack by any feral beast, two or four legged. A simple handgun can be a life extender.

[Qiviut]

Seriously ...

https://www.backpacker.com/survival/bears/bear-spray-could-save-your-life-heres-how-to-use-it-right/

Another good resource is Wes Larson, bear biologist & considered an expert. He has the Tooth & Claw podcast. When he talks about using bear spray, he describes what the guy in the video does. He’s discussed bear safety many times on his podcast & in interviews on other podcasts.

[Hyman Roth]

Black on white crime.

[Salamander]

I’d prefer a Mossberg pump loaded with slugs.

Wouldn’t do much good because where they hang out is black as the gates of Hell and my security lights don’t go that far.
I’d never see them until it was too late.

Until they go away, prayer and hyper vigilance is all I have.

I’m having to park my car in fenced and locked field instead of the lane so they don’t tear it apart looking for food.

There’s a reason settlers took out apex predators.

We’ve had bears kill horses a mile from me.

Liberal Maryland Karens don’t want “ Smokey” even mildly inconvenienced.
People FEED them here

Hillbillies aren’t that stupid.

I’m not a happy camper right now.

[Sirius Lee]

70 lbs bear-— A large German Shepherd. .

70lbs of bear muscle beat 150lbs of human muscle just about every time. Shepard will mess you up really good too. Don't even think about messing with a cute little chimp.

[Tommy Revolts]

70lbs is not a big bear. You would think it would scare off easily.

[blueunicorn6]

It’s time for a lot of things to become afraid of firearms again.

[spincaster]

Used Rocks? What the hell is that. That’s why I carry everyday, all day and with in arms reach while I sleep.

[marktwain]

70lbs is not a big bear. You would think it would scare off easily.

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It was hungry. This was a predatory attack. Black bears will usually run away or retreat *if they are hurt*. If you don’t hurt them, they are not so easily dissuaded.

Most black bears learn to respect and fear humans, but the number who do not are increasing with the increased protection bears are given.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

Had a big black bear walk up to the sliding glass door to my patio at noon a few weeks ago. That was a surprise! They sometimes show up at night but not during the day.

[Varda]

Apex predators are not naturally scared of humans. A Canadian researcher a few years back found that Black bears kill more humans than other bears. The attacks were typically by male bears treating humans as food. This story fits that profile.

[miliantnutcase]

Same. I live in a residential neighborhood, but there is a sow and 2 cubs (fairly large now) that walk through my backyard at dusk and screw around with stuff. Caught them on my yard camera last couple nights now.

[Alas Babylon!]

I love and respect wildlife, even predators.

BUT... I don’t want to live in the midst of them. Our forefathers conquered the land and, yes, that meant eliminating wildlife that were a real threat to humans.

Where I live (Southeast Alabama) we don’t have bears and I’d rather not have them. However, black bears have been expanding their range out of the Appalachians and have now conquered Northeastern Alabama from Huntsville to Fort Paine. We also have a remnant of Florida black bears in the Mobile river delta. I used to teach at Auburn University and a friend there who is a biologist told me bears should be down this way by 2040 or so.

I often see videos on youtube where people are filming the “cute” bears on the porch or patios eating from their bird feeders. They’re NOT cute. Would you let your child or pets out in your backyard if there were occasionally bears on your porch?

They need to be instilled with the fear of men. Get a big dog. Also, shoot if they threaten you, and the law should allow you—not some judge, cop or wildlife enforcer—decide if you’re threatened!

[Salamander]

That’s not terrifying at all.

😳

[marktwain]

Apex predators are not naturally scared of humans. A Canadian researcher a few years back found that Black bears kill more humans than other bears. The attacks were typically by male bears treating humans as food. This story fits that profile.

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Correct. Most black bear attacks are predatory attacks by young male bears.

The number of attacks are relatively few, but they have become more common in recent years.

The researcher you are referring to is probably Stephen Herrero. He speculated that black bear attacks were uncommon because aggressive black bears were killed off during bear hunting season, so that the genetic pool of black bears consisted of those who were more cautious.