Bear attack of hammock camper last night in GSMNP

[sargevining]

As climate change stress on bear habitat leaves bears starved I believe increasing bear-human incidents are inevitable.

I would think that people living close to bears and encroaching on the borders of GSMNP has a whole lot more to do with it. There's a lot of bears on the Smokies and the population continues to climb, and that's because their habitat continues to provide more than adequate food.

[bkrgi]

That is scary!! Who knows if a tent would have been better, or worse. Maybe in this one particular instance, with this particular bear, a certain color of fabric, size, height off the ground, etc could have affected it's decision to be aggressive? Maybe a tent would have looked "more difficult" to attack compared to a hammock...or more man-made to where the bear was less attracted. Of course the bear isn't contemplating this in his mind. So many what if's though. Impossible to know for sure.

With food being hung in sacks....does the bear see any hanging sack as a food opportunity including a Hammock...
I assume these 2 were hanging without a tarp...maybe the tarp is a plus as it removes the hanging food bag look?????

I do not think we will ever be able to say do this or that and still assure safety. Bears in differing Habitats can and will develop differing Habits related to there surroundings and we just have to give some serious thought to how we function within those habitats

In these parts we have Grizz and that is one nasty wild card.
Life is a risk but do NOT let it stop you from living here and now

[OneClick]

Just saw a new story (headline, did not read) about a bear charging a family in MI. Their dog scared it away

Edit: I read it...found out the dog died Poor little guy!

[hang em high]

This is the reason usually hang alone and I always sneak out and put barbecue sauce on the bottom of whoever is hanging around me.

I saw bear spray mentioned but it wouldn't of done anything to prevent the attack. I doubt the kid ever knew it was coming until the first bite. Actually 100 yards of fishing line and a few beer cans with rocks in them would've probably prevented this. You have a lot better chance of preventing or defending yourself in an attack if the attack happens while you're awake.

[Foxpoop]

This is the reason usually hang alone and I always sneak out and put barbecue sauce on the bottom of whoever is hanging around me.

I saw bear spray mentioned but it wouldn't of done anything to prevent the attack. I doubt the kid ever knew it was coming until the first bite. Actually 100 yards of fishing line and a few beer cans with rocks in them would've probably prevented this. You have a lot better chance of preventing or defending yourself in an attack if the attack happens while you're awake.

My father-in-law strings fishing line with bells around his beehives. Might not be the worst idea to set up a perimeter around your hammock. I'm sure I would get caught up in it during the nightly trip to pee, but probably worth it. My wife is trying to get me to carry a side-arm with me know when I camp. Pros and cons to this approach, but I am considering it. She said that you can be armed in the Smokies now. Is that correct?

[novasquid]

Actually 100 yards of fishing line and a few beer cans with rocks in them would've probably prevented this. You have a lot better chance of preventing or defending yourself in an attack if the attack happens while you're awake.

i bought a large spool of zing-it to use for this purpose, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it. now i'm thinking it's time. instead of beer cans, my plan was to hook it up to one of these. it's loud enough to scare away a bear 5 miles away
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BCL66Y

[Comet_Seeker]

While I have sympathy for the young man and his father I wonder if he was sleeping in the same clothes he cooked and ate in.

That's a great question. I'm still new to primitive camping and wouldn't have thought of this. Maybe spilled something or camped too close to where they had eaten? No matter what the reason, it's scary and I wish it upon no one. It is good to hear things are stable. And on a positive note, at the boy's age, i hear chicks dig scars and he has one hell of a story!

Prayers to the whole family

[hk2001]

Seems they caught the bear...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local...-boy/28742819/

[sargevining]

The fact that they caught it when it returned to the campsite is an indication that the bad conduct of earlier visitors had habituated him to the site.

But their bad conduct is easily explained as being due to the effects of Global Warming.

[Phalse]

But their bad conduct is easily explained as being due to the effects of Global Warming.

lol