Boy Killed By Black Bear In Utah

Wildlife Officers Kill Animal They Believe Was Responsible For Pulling 11-Year-Old From Tent

(CBS/AP)  Wildlife officers on Monday fatally wounded a bear they believed was the same animal that snatched an 11-year-old boy from his family's tent and killed the youngster.

The bear had been wounded early in the day and was pursued by hunters aided by a helicopter and 26 tracking dogs. It was described as a male, possibly 300 pounds and "jet black." Authorities were sure it was the right animal because the dogs had tracked its scent from the boy's camp site.

The bear was confirmed dead late Monday morning near the area where the boy was killed, said Lt. Scott White of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The boy was sleeping alone in one section of the family's large tent late Sunday. He screamed before he was dragged away in his sleeping bag in a canyon about 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, said sheriff's Lt. Dennis Harris.

The boy's stepfather heard the scream, and immediately got up and ran out of the tent to try to find out what was going on. But there was no sign of the boy, Harris told CBS station KUTV.

A host from a nearby campground contacted police, who feared the boy had been kidnapped. Deputies blocked off the canyon, checking vehicles.

The boy's 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, Harris said.

"All he wanted to do was come up and have a good time with his family. And then something like this happens," Harris said. "It's probably the most devastating thing that can happen to a family."

"It's shaken everybody up. We're all distraught," said Scott Root, conservation outreach manager at the Utah wildlife agency. "It could put a lot of fear in the public."

Utah is not known to have any grizzly bears, which have attacked and killed people in the northern Rockies.

American Fork Canyon is a popular camping destination. Harris said the family was camping about two miles up a dirt road from a popular campground.

It was not known what provoked the bear, though bears can smell food for miles.

"They stick their nose in the air. It's like radar," said Hal Black, a biologist at Brigham Young University in Provo.

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. The boy was not seriously injured.

[hikermama]

As an avid hiker, there are risks taken to enjoy what little forests we have left. When camping, precautions must be taken such as setting up the campsite atleast 200ft. from trails and water sources, tying up all food and trash in a tree atleast 50ft. (dry bags are great for this)from campsite, and keeping any source of food, water, even toothpaste from within the tent. I keep my entire backpack outside and away from my tent (never know when you may have forgotten a hidden energy bar). A make shift kitchen should be made near the campsite and it should be thoroughly cleaned up afterwards, including crumbs. Always use bear boxes when available.

My heart goes out to the family of the young boy recently mauled by a black bear.

[abcbear-2009]

When you go out amongst the bears, it's your job to take care of yourself and your family. We can't go blaming this on forestry officials. They are short-handed as it is, and can't be always roaming around looking for problem bears.
Let's take the precautions necessary - for example, make sure your flashlight works!

[abcbear-2009]

When you go out amongst the bears, it's your job to take care of yourself and your family. We can't go blaming this on forestry officials. They are short-handed as it is, and can't be always roaming around looking for problem bears.
Let's take the precautions necessary - for example, make sure your flashlight works!

[peashooter10]

Bears live in the forests. Just like the Indians did. And we took their land just as we are encroaching on the bears natural habitat. It was tragic that this child had to be killed. But the bear was only acting like a bear should. I do send my sympathies to the family. Why did the bear have to be killed? They say that if you are close enough to a bear to alter his actions, then you are TOO close. Animals only attack out of basic needs: 1:Food 2:Anger/Fear 3:Defending themselves or their young. Just like we do. And they are territorial just as we humans are. Let's just say that it was a terrible accident, but if you are going to be in the wild, then you must be prepared to accept any consequences there may be.

[bjc3345]

why is it that the media portrays these black bears as killers and thugs while the white polar bears are jolly and friendly and also enjoy drinking bottles of Coca Cola!

[rushlimpdrug]

Look at the nut in the picture, all he needs is an aluminum foil hat to go with the rest of his outfit.
Posted by thgdriver at 08:33 PM : Jun 18, 2007

You must not be familiar with radio tracking...
They had radio collars on the dogs so they wouldn't lose them....
Posted by kaiyo4u

Yeah well if he'd turn around he'd see the dog is right behind him.

[usmctanker13]

Interesting how a story about the tragic death of a child can be turned into a forum for ridicule of inexperienced campers and a rant session for liberal hating republicons. I am thankful that there are remote areas of our country to where the microcephalics can find a home.

[mike71067]

"Probably another bunch of city slickers whose most recent contact with wildlife was armchair viewing "Mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom" re-runs, they got into their Coleman. tents and the rest is history."
-Posted by newster1 at 02:19 AM : Jun 19, 2007

Experienced hunters have been killed by bears. Incidentally, speaking of inexperienced city slickers, MSNBC has this same article, accompanied by a picture of a brown bear. I never had much respect for the liberal news media, due to their leftward slant, among other things. Now I can add "stupidity" to the list of reasons why I hate them.

[mike71067]

"Hard to believe, I know, but the Bush regime butchers are probably not responsible for this child's death."
-Posted by FeelFree1 at 01:53 AM : Jun 19, 2007

Thanks for confirming all the negative stereotypes of the American left. All stereotypes originate from something authentic, as we see here.

[nothappyatall]

"The story doesn't tell if the family were expeirienced enough to know about bears"

Probably another bunch of city slickers whose most recent contact with wildlife was armchair viewing "Mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom" re-runs, they got into their Coleman. tents and the rest is history.

[feelfree1]

Hard to believe, I know, but the Bush regime butchers are probably not responsible for this child's death.

[shanev137]

Obviously inexperienced campers.

[taylpatr]

After seeing the population boom in Utah firsthand, I can attest to the fact that people have indeed encroached on the bears habitat.The story doesn't tell if the family were expeirienced enough to know about bears, but if they wern't, half of the fault would lie with the man in charge.I moved out of Utah when it became too crowded.One thing I've realized is that most of the people came there to get away from it all. The only trouble with that is,they ARE what they are getting away from. Signed, a former Utahn hiding in Idaho.

[kaiyo4u]

Something that's been bugging me is what attracted the bear to the campsite in the first place? Don't these people have any sense at all? When in bear country, your food gets suspended from tree limbs high up and you make sure it is at least 100 yards from where you sleep.
I guess it's the campground thing whether it be state or federal that lulls people into a false sense of security... It is tragic that a child died as a result of it.

[kaiyo4u]

Look at the nut in the picture, all he needs is an aluminum foil hat to go with the rest of his outfit.
Posted by thgdriver at 08:33 PM : Jun 18, 2007

You must not be familiar with radio tracking...
They had radio collars on the dogs so they wouldn't lose them... They have been known to go for miles and miles on a scent trail. Your dogs get out of earshot, you worry.

[fridak-2009]

Bears kill a lot fewer people in the Rockies than bees.
If you shoot one, you better be good. If thy find out about it you might be in trouble....

[nellowstone]

You are thousands of times more likely to be struck by lighting or die in an auto accident on the way to the campsite, than to be killed by a wild animal. My family and I love camping in the Green Mountian National Forest in Vermont, because it has bears, wolves, mountain lions and some very large moose. Camping with the wild animals is what makes it magic. As a former boy scout, my motto is "be prepared". We sleep with bear repellent, firearms and have our dogs. Many people skip the firearms since, statistically, the risk of an accident is greater than that of an animal attack. Personally, I would not enter the forrest without one, mainly for fear of two-legged animals.

[kaiyo4u]

For those of you with 44's, you might as well get a bigger hand gun for self protection when going up against a griz or a browny. After discussing the matter with Alaskan locals, they call the 44 the suicide gun. 5 shots for the bear and the last one for yourself. they say a .454 is better than the 44 and a large caliber rifle (preferrably a magnum) is better. Remember that we have grizzes in the lower 48 again.

[thgdriver]

Look at the nut in the picture, all he needs is an aluminum foil hat to go with the rest of his outfit.

[compusam-2009]

I thought humans were smarter than animals. Do we have to kill everything we do not understand? Or is there another option? I guess not. Or is it that we kill simply because we can%u2026 which kind of puts us on the same intellectual level as the animals we kill.

(imagine misspelling intellectual)