Posted on 04/14/2006 4:28:47 AM PDT by Liberty Valance
BENTON, Tenn. - A bear attacked a family at a camp site in the Cherokee National Forest on Thursday, killing a 6-year-old girl and injuring her 2-year-old brother and mother, authorities said.
The attack took place near a pool of water on Chilhowee Mountain, said Dan Hicks, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Witnesses described the bear picking up the boy in its mouth while the mother and other visitors tried to fend it off with sticks and rocks, Hicks said. The mother was injured before the bear was chased away.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
This is heartbreaking, horrific, tragic.
It is also why I am perfectly happy to stay in cities, thank you.
I figure my ancestors put their time in dealing with wild animals trying to kill them, and they worked hard to get out
of 'nature'. I have no desire to experience, now, what they gladly left . Bears, mountain lions, sharks...none of them can eat you if you don't go where they live looking for Disney.
Watch nature tv, or go camping with Ted Nugent.
All National Forests are open to recreational shooting unless otherwise posted. Firing a gun is not allowed: a) within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area; b) across or on a road or body of water; c) in any circumstance whereby any person may be injured or property damaged. Additionally, the South Platte District has certain areas which are closed to recreational shooting. Please see the Rampart Range Shooting Closure information on this site along with Rules For Visitors
Glad you're happy, but I wouldn't trade places with you :~D
You can't get me out of the city fast enough.
Probably wasn't curious about your permit, and didn't want to hassle you over stuff that's not his area of focus.
You are correct. Where I live, I am surrounded by National Forest with four National Parks nearby. I should have made it clearer that it is legal to carry a loaded handgun in a National Forest, as long as your state allows it.
Most people would be shocked to learn that it is perfectly legal to carry a loaded handgun in a National Forest in California (don't carry a rifle though, unless hunting it is season).
Right... they're a little touchier about rifles, because they're usually combatting poachers hunting out of season, or hunting from their vehicle.
You've got that right. When I go camping in the national forests here in Florida, my gun is always by my side. Not because of the bears - Florida black bears are just about the most timid creatures you can imagine, as long as you don't corner them or mess with them or their cubs. And usually they're long gone before you can even get close enough to harass them, if you're fool enough to try.
The same cannot be said, however, about some of the people you encounter. Just a couple of months ago, a couple of hikers were murdered in the Ocala National Forest, in one of the wilderness areas. They were students at the University of Florida, and I'd expect that they were good little liberals who probably got palpitations when they even saw a gun holstered on some cop's hip. Some psycho with visions of becoming a serial killer ran into them in the woods and ...
It's impossible to say that they would have lived if one of them had pulled a piece from his/her backpack, but certainly their odds of survival would have gone way up if one of them had.
Keep in mind that I was born and raised in New Orleans. Not exactly what some would call 'civilization', I know-but, I still have NO desire to sleep in the wilderness unless it's an air-conditioned, bathroom equipped lodge. I don't do rustic-especially not when there are animals that can kill you about. I stay out of high-crime areas for the same reason.
It may sound funny to people who don't know any better, but the favored weapon for poachers here in Florida is a .22LR rifle. The animals here are small, and the poachers don't care about trophies, so they go for the head shot after freezing the animal with a spotlight. And a .22 is very quiet.
Read the Petition sent to the Dept. of Interior here.
I just don't understand how people can say "They more afraid of us than we are of them". If anything that creates a misconception that you have no reason to fear them.
Wild animals, if hungry, will attack and eat us too just as they would any other typical prey.
Yep....the two legged predators are typically by far the most dangerous one is likely to encounter. Even when backpacking, I like to maintain multiple 'layers' of redundant self-defense ranging from two german shepherds, edged weapons, which typically end up performing mundane camping tasks anyways, to what I lovingly refer to as my '185 gr. death pill dispenser.'
In places other than National Forests, where rifles are not viewed adversely, it's hard to beat a paratrooper stocked .30 carbine for general utility...some will debate the efficacy of the round, but I've never heard of any naysayer volunteering to be shot by one to prove their point. Ballisically, from a 16" barrel, the effects aren't that much different than .357 with a lighter (110gr) bullet and slightly smaller wouund channel.
For rougher country, I've always been intrigued by the big bore lever actions, i.e., .444 marlin, .45-70 etc.
My philosophy toward self preservation (be it at home, on the road or on the trail) is based on the axiom of the two hikers who are charged by a ravenous bear...The one hiker drops his pack, and quickly begins swapping out his hiking boots for a pair of running shoes. His partner says, 'you really don't think you're going to outrun that bear do you?" to which he replies, "I don' have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you." I think most predators, two-legged or otherwise, will cry off of prey that looks like it may be some trouble when something easier is available.
The fact is, black bears are not primary predators. They will usually retreat if they hear you coming. They are mostly scavengers and vegetarians. Much different than being in grizzly country.
This was not a short and spontanteous attack, it was prolonged and involved different 'acts' of attack. First the little boy, the mother fought it off, along with other adults, but the mother was drug down the trail, and then, the girl, apparently got seperated from everyone else, and was attacked in another location.
I'm wondering what the incidence of rabies is in this area and whether it's possible that's what's going on here???
I see - after reading some responses I've been checking on the NRA website to determine if my state laws supersede federal law or what. Haven't been able to find that info yet.
When I got a CC permit they gave us a list of where we couldn't carry and IIRC it said National Forests. Will find paper and get back to the thread if it's relevant.
I'm sure you're thinking of National Parks.
National Froests are a much different thing, are usually working timber country that is managed and logged, and hunting, recreational target shooting, and being armed while camping and hiking is allowed.
A few months back, Guns and Ammo magazine carried a pretty good overall assessment of weapons laws for various states and Federal holdings. I' dnot recall specifically which issue, but you may want to research a few months back in their RKBA column.
In the end, if you're going to be in the wild you should be prepared for the unexpected, i.e. Have two full clips of nothing less than a 9mm on hand.
Well, relatively quiet anyway.
Just saw an interview with the guy from Dept. of Wildlife. I guess they're still not sure if the bear was hit by the one person who shot at it, but they've been trying to find it with hounds. They're apparently calling that off now and are using traps.
There could be 500 bears in the area, finding this one bear is a long shot. But like in Jaws, the public will be pleased if they can see a picture of a dead bear if they can just pretend they know it's the right one.
I wouldn't trust a 9 mm to slow down a bear, but thanks for the kind thoughts ;~D
How do you do that on a mountain bike?
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