Officials Confirm They Got Killer Bear

Bear Dragged 11-Year-Old Boy From His Family's Tent In Utah

(CBS/AP)  The bear tracked down and killed by wildlife officers and hounds Monday was the one that dragged an 11-year-old boy from his family's tent in the Utah wilderness and killed him, officials said after an examination of its remains.

Authorities also said the bear, weighing as much as 300 pounds, probably was the same one who had been harassing other campers earlier in the weekend.

The dead boy's grandfather blamed federal foresters Tuesday for not warning about the earlier complaints.

"We're hoping that the Forest Service will do a better job protecting campers. It's been like a surreal nightmare," Eldon Ives told reporters at a news conference on his front lawn.

"The violent way he was taken is a sorrow that will never heal," Ives said.

Katie Baker of CBS station KUTV reports the first complaint about an "aggressive bear" was received Saturday night. Another was made Sunday, harassing another group of campers in the same spot before dawn Sunday. Kurt Francom said his son, Jake, was kicked in the head through a tent wall.

"It could have been my boy," said Francom, a school custodian.

"It hit me right in the face twice, and I raised my head up and it hit the side of the tent and smacked my head back down in," Jake Francom told KUTV.

Wildlife officers gave chase with more than two dozen dogs after the Sunday morning incident, but didn't catch the bear.

Sam Ives, the boy who died, his mother, stepfather and a 6-year-old brother were sleeping in a large tent Sunday night in American Fork Canyon, about 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, when the stepfather heard the boy scream "something's dragging me."

The boy and his sleeping bag were gone. The cut in the nylon tent was so clean, his family first believed the boy had been abducted, U.S Forest Service officers said.

Without a flashlight, the stepfather searched frantically for Sam and then drove a mile down a dirt road to a developed campground.

"He was pounding on my trailer door. He said somebody cut his tent and took his son," said John Sheely, host of the Timpooneke campground, who alerted authorities by driving down the canyon to a pay phone.

[rushlimpdrug]

Bears bad
people good

[bogusbones]

As we humans continue to venture into the habitats of wild animals, these encounters will, unfortunately continue.

My dog has been bitten twice by foxes, has chased racoons and nightly I hear the coyotes howling in the hills.

Urban sprawl and the desire to "get back to nature" will perpetuate these conflicts between man and animal.

[celtic_lady-2009]

It's the wild. It is no longer our world, it's theirs. What's left of their world at any rate. I heard signs were posted notifying campers of this bear being in the area tormenting other campers & yet they stayed there. I understand the pain of loss that this family must feel but get with the program. It's not Chicago, New Jersery or New York. It's the Wilderness. You take your life and the lives of those with you into your own hands when you step into that world. Mankind is destroying their habitat, decreasing their food supply and treading on what is not ours. So the bear is killed, not tranquilized and tested for diseases or even relocated,killed because it was doing what nature intended it to do to survive & yet we don't kill our own for killing other people or animals. What's wrong with this world?

[rushlimpdrug]

"We're hoping that the Forest Service will do a better job protecting campers."
excuse me.
Apparently the Forest Service didn't do a good enough job for you. It is a very, very sad incident but please don't pass it off on the Forest Service. I am sure they feel bad enough.

[ecuadoriana]

"...probably was the same one who had been harassing other campers..."

Bears don't "harass". People harass.

People who harass, stalk, attack & kill get the benefit of a fair trial before the execution (if there even is one) & the movements of humans are intentional- often deadly so.

The bear, on the other hand, was looking for food & to reclaim some of its former real estate which had been taken away under a human imposed emminent domain (translation: take at will).

If the bears, & other animals, are to suffer harsher punishments for lesser crimes than committed by humans, then bears deserve the benefit of fair trial & representation.

If I drug a kid out of a tent & killed him, I'd bounce around the legal system for years before it even went to trial. Then if I were to be found guilty, despite my bogus insanity plea (as suggested by my lawyer to help lessen the severity of my punishment), I'd still be fed 3 meals a day, given a bed, shelter, medical care...- all paid for by the state.

It's convenient for humans to have their meals pre-murdered & wrapped in cellophane! Then they don't have to acknowledge that they are willing participants in the holocaust-like slaughter of the world's animals.

The bear's gotta hunt its own dinner so get off its buffet table!

Do I feel bad for the kid? Of course. But I don't fault the bear for LIVING in its own home. The family were uninvited guests.

[mitywhity]

ecuadoriana-

You are the exact type of person who is a dead weight around the neck of this country! If we are all "invaders" into the wildlife refuge you allege the whole world to be, then why don't you just go drown yourself in the sea over your guilt!
You and your kind would never be here if not decendants from meat-eating survivalist pioneers or desperate immigrants who ate the rats from ships they travelled on to get to this country. You make me puke - go eat your organic cucumber sandwich of organic self-ground wheatbread and choke on it! Thoughtless puke! An 11-year old boy was slain by your "pal"... the bear.

[mitywhity]

bogusbones-

You too! Why do you self-righteous "we love nature more than anyone else" types always show disdain for humans and such misplaced love and value to wild and dangerous beasts? Also, why do you have a slave? ("YOUR" dog.) Get your priorities straight or shut up - take your pick.

[mitywhity]

Celtic_Lady

Last but not least - get a grip! This is OUR world, but then if your really believed it you wouldn't impose yourself on it would just let yourself die like you believe ALL "other" humans should do. You wiccan, pagan, vegan whatevers are just warped and totally incapable of survival on this planet without someone else taking care of you. Idiots!

[mitywhity]

bogusbones -

Why don't you get your hiney back into the city and stop perpetuating the accursed urban sprawl yourself? Last time I checked we have armadillo and coyote here too in "our" dwelling place - right downtown. The wildlife are migrating towards us and not the other way around.

[seaslew]

its a wilderness, and bears belong there, not people. if people go they know the risks sad as this is. My thoguhts and prayers to all , no one expects this to happen on a camping trip.

[prolegomena]

One of the great philosphical failings of our time, is that we are often unable to define what is disctive about human-ness and non-human-ness. Nature is nature, that is sure, but the creatures who inhabit it are not of equal status, value, or person-hood.

I weep for this boy and his family. I weep also that his family did not carry adequate tools into the wilderness to deal with the incursion of a sub-human intruder. What happened, that we no longer think it prudent to carry a firearm into the wilderness, as all the early explorers did, and wise explorers still do.

If a person comes into my family, no matter where we are, and attempts to drag off my children, that person will not benefit from "bouncing around" the judicial system-- they will be shot on sight. How much more so for a creature such as this, which is not blessed by its creator with person-hood. Nature is to be managed and tended, not worshiped.

My prayers go out to this family-- and my hope that we learn a little something about ourselves in their tragedy.

bogusbones, I agree with you.

[davegf]

prolegomena,

I despise superstitious, voodoo loving, bible thumpers like you.

You live in a fnatasy world, a lot like crytal meth addicts.

You're an animal. Nothing more. No silly god gave you special rights, despite what your little fantasy book might say.

Think suicide.

[kennergirl]

I have a son that is almost 11 years old. Now I know why I don't like to go camping.

[bobacorn]

Stephen Colbert, it seems, was right to place bears on his top 10 threats facing America. JK

[sjw1253]

Addressed to: MityWhity & Prolegomena

Gee - you 2 really spew some nasty words to people...

I believe the law of nature is that the strong survive. The fact is that we - humans - who have a different capacity to think and make weapons can artificially make ourselves stronger than the other living beings on this earth.

With our brains - we must be responsible - as we all have our purpose. Some of our purposes may seem quite obvious - but others may not be so.

I think you need to think about your "co*key" attitudes toward wildlife - as none of us really know what our true purpose is...

Now - if you don't have the capacity to try a little philosophy - that is okay... Some human with a bigger gun and lesser brain than you may eventually get you as you continue to advocate for the right for all to bear arms...

That's MHO - and I do agree with the others - we should not seek revenge on an animal for doing what an animal does in their own native surroundings. It is a small mind that does this.

I too have a wonderful grandson - and I know that if this happened to him I would be distraught. I only hope that someone with a better sense of right and wrong would be there to maintain a proper balance in thinking.

What do you think that killing the bear will do? Send a message to the other bears that killing a child is wrong???

[beadazzle]

While i sympathise with the family and their loss,what a few people on here are talking about us humans encroaching in on the wild lifes domains is so true,but in this case,it's about the weather keeping it to dry for bears and other animals to find eatable foods.

Black bears usually eat grasses and berries and fish and game like deer fawns if they can catch one or scavage one that was killed by another animal.
Grass happens to be their mainstay along with berries and honey and so many other types of food.

What should have been done wasn't done. The rangers knew of this bear and or bears and they should have trapped them and moved them to a better place where humans are far less likely to run into them. We all take chances with wild life when we go places we shouldn't be unless we are well prepared to take the life of an animal that is attacking us.
http://www.covebear.com/BlackBearFoods.htm

[mitch0927]

sjw1253,
I applaud you for saying that. These back woods people are just like the ones on the ocean when someone gets attacked by a shark, they go on a shark killing frenzy. It serves no purpose and the parents of that child should be the ones who are totally responsible for his death, not the bear.

[mitch0927]

DaveGF,
You are about the dumbest person I have ever read from. If you believe that garbage so much, go off and get out of our society, because the money you spend says "In God We Trust"....you are the creep of all creeps.

[peach652]

"Killer bear". Puuulleeeezzzzzzz..... It's not a monster. It's just a bear doing what bears do in it's own habitat! The real monsters are those who stalked the bear down and killed it.

You opt to intrude in the bear's home, you accept the risk.

[mitch0927]

I do feel for the loss of a family member, it is sad. There was a story a few years ago about a couple studying Kodiak Bears in Alaska and these people were experts. They had a tape recorder going during the time the big Kodiak tore them to shreds. Yes, we are invading the only territory they have left, and they are going to do what comes natural to them. This revenge killing was for the family and I would bet the father especially didn't want that to happen, if he's into nature like we were led to believe.

[davegf]

mitch0927,

Your voodoo god created the earth in a week....6,000 years ago, right?

LOL

Bible thumping nutters....

[yo_marc]

Prolegomena, well said. I couldn't agree more.

mitch, I disagree with you about the backwoods comment. I don't believe in going out and taking out a bunch of sharks for after a surfer/swimmer is bitten or killed. Water is a definite divider between what could be civilization, and 'the wild'.

BUT: I definitely agree with this type of killing on land - to a certain extent. If we're seriously out in the middle of nowhere, far... days from civilization, I would not want a known-to-kill animal taken down. That's pointless. That's truly the animals habitat.

Now, if I'm in a seemingly popular camping area and there is an animal that's been snooping around and harassing, then that's a problem. People should be warned, and I'd like to see the animal relocated. I would expect people to take heed... but even so, if the animal goes so far as to kill someone - then let me buy the the ammo.

[davegf]

[phone]

Contact the Utah Division Of Wildlife Slaughter at the number above and tell them what you think of their ridiculous revenge killing and PR campaign aimed at appeasing the morons in this country.

[a-ji]

Sad story and our prayers goes with the family. I feel bad about this but I'm not in favor of hunting and killing the bear.

[mitch0927]

It never says how long a week is, since there weren't any calendars back then. Your problem is, with your lack of an intellagent thought in that pea sized brain of yours, that you will probably be the one who calls out for God when you are at your death bed, or when something senseless like this happens to one of your family members.

[drivelphobe]

Boy, what a great headline news article. We have thousands of legal applications for US citizenship backlogged with Homeland Security, outrage amongst the American taxpayers over the amnesty bill, no border fence under construction, a never ending war on terrorism, lie after lie from the politicians, and CBS news headlines the bear killing. Good job. Are you too lazy to dig into what's happening or are you, as O'Reilly puts it, too liberal to care what the pulbic demands. Does the dead bear story really qualify as a CBS headline? How sad!

[mitch0927]

yo_marc,
Yeah, that was a little harsh on my part, for that I apologize, but the "wild" is the "wild", regardless if it is on land or at sea.

[mitch0927]

drivelphobe,
Everything on here is a headline so to speak. They shift them around just like a newspaper does.

[jscribe58]

Did you ever notice in this blog that a few always have to talk about anyone who believes in God as lowlifes who are stupid, and those people who believe in God never call them idiots who can't see the nose on their face? I suppose it's just a sure sign of what 'civilized' really means.

[mitch0927]

jscribe58,
I agree with your point, it is one of those buttons I have that when pushed, I get on the defensive side, I should just feel sympathy for the person and say a prayer, but I'm working on that part with my anger management courses. You think after twelve years I would have learned something...lol

[davegf]

jscribe, there's no group on the planet during the history of mankind that has done more to promote violence and killing than the religious nutters. Supported most fervently by the bible thumpers, the u.s. just destroyed a country and killed tens of thousands of innocents.

Who's done most of the slaughter of wildlife in this world....people who thought/think that man was given the earth by some vooodoo god to control and lord over.

Pathetic. Thank "god" less and less people on this planet believe in fantasy and magic. A hudred years from now, hopefully, religion will be a distant and embarrassing memory.

If someone is nuts, I call them nuts. Only being accurate.

[kiddbilly]

you folks must be from another world!!!why would anyone normal use this tragic story to get on their soap box? get a life a child was killed,da?for those of you that are bored you need to find the secert!!!!!

[celtic_lady-2009]

MityWhity,
you sure have a lot to say although it only being your opinion, it matters not to anyone other than you. So, since you wish to play hero, practice what you preach. I am not Wiccan, I am Christian, a realist who calls things how I see them & I eat red meat. Any other accusations you would like to throw my way? I have a job, two cars & my own place. I take care of me so don't you worry about putting me on your "taking care you.Idiots!%u201C list. You should include yourself on it. The wilderness is not OUR world. Do you live in a tree or a cave? I don't. It is called survival & I have more respect for the four legged than I do most two legged. Humans are capable of making their lives comfortable. Go to the store for food; buy a house for shelter & a car to get around. Necessary Evils. This I know, however animals are not as fortunate. The actually have to fight for survival as we continue to increase this already over populated nation & destroy a world that was theirs long before it was ours. Cranial Rectal Inversion is something I've never suffered from so forgive me if I don't see things from your point of view. These are but opinions from different people through out different areas. YOU obviously need to get a grip if you let the opinions of others turn you inside out. Don%u2019t preach your delusional beliefs at me. I%u2019m not forcing anyone else on this blog to choke on mine. Ignorance is bliss. Enjoy.
You have a nice day.

[okiemom1]

I'd like to know if the family was prepared or knew what they were doing in bear country. Did they have food in the tent that would attract bears, etc.

I know with scouts they are taught to put all foods and things that smell in a bear bag and hang them from trees.

If this was done maybe this tragedy might have been prevented.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Officials Confirm They Got Killer Bear"

yeah but was it THE Killer Bear?
There are other bears and could have made a mistake.
For example there is:
Yogi Bear
Bobo
and who can forget Smokey The Bear?

[mitch0927]

DaveGF,
Sounds like the best part of you dripped down your mommas backside

[kiddbilly]

ok about the bear if i'm not mistaken once a bear taste human flesh they crave it again and again. it's possible they will kill again. on the other hand if it's a know situation that the bears are having trouble finding food. why not feed them at a safe location away from campers

[rushlimpdrug]

ok about the bear if i'm not mistaken once a bear taste human flesh they crave it again and again. . . .
Posted by kiddbilly

That is possible. Inconclusive studies show it may also be true with the human species. Once they taste chicken they crave it again and again going so far as to eat it before it becomes a chicken (egg).

[kiddbilly]

rushlimpdrug
you've missed your calling.it's refreshing to find people still have a sense of humor.good for you!! keep up the good work

[decentiq]

It is sad that a child was killed by a bear due to his family deciding to pitch a tent in bear country, but don't kill the bear. This bear does not know proper camping etiquette. He is just living in his habitat doing what he does to survive, and we blame him? Why did this family bring their child to sleep amongst bears? If the adults love taking risks that is up to them, but don't involve the child.

[drivelphobe]

Thanks mitch0927'

Sometimes I get a little wound up. I am more relaxed now.

[davegf]

"DaveGF,
Sounds like the best part of you dripped down your mommas backside
Posted by mitch0927 at 05:42 PM : Jun 19, 2007"

Did jesus talk like that? Don't think so. Typical bible thumping hypocrite. Push them a little and their true personality shows itself.

[hoffmom]

I keep hearing that the wild outdoors is "their" (meaning the animals') territory, and that when "we" wander from "our" territory we're "asking for it." WHAT? Last I knew, we ALL came from the wilderness, and "civilization" arose from it. When mankind originally dwelt in the wilderness,they had no qualms with removing a man-eater from their locale.
Do those "on the bear's side" also think that we should stay in the cities? What a great way to teach our children the value of nature!
We can and should respect the creatures with whom we share our planet. But I find it perfectly idiotic to assert that the humans were "invaders," and didn't have a "right" to be there. As far as I know, no cities sprang up on their own as the "natural" habitat for humans. The wilderness is as much OUR territory as it is THEIRS and maybe we'd respect it more if we felt it belonged to us all. And since does, every creature is entitled to protect itself.
But that's NOT what the bear was doing when it dragged a boy from his tent and mauled him to death in the night. That is a rogue bear who will repeat the offense, EVEN IF RELOCATED. It's stupid to say "he was just doing what was natural." No he wasn't. Wild bears naturally avoid people. This bear was behaving unnaturally, and would've continued to do so. Some of these people who feel so passionately for the life of the bear really need to get in touch with nature themselves.

[decentiq]

This was a wild bear living in an area of untamed animals. If you go into an environment where they live you are taking a risk because they do not know right from wrong. If you think that you should be able to go into the wild and not be bothered by wild animals because you are dominant to them, then I guess you should just kill them all, instead of just that one.

[jn122736]

Interesting comments:

Most portray the bear as the victim and the child and/or his parents as the culprits.
Most of these complain that the campers were intruding into the bear%u2019s domain.

The world is filled with hypocrisy.

We would have to kill off at least 250 million people to restore the %u201Cdomain%u201D of all the animals that %u201Cowned%u201D the country before the white man came.

One could just as well say that everyone living in the plains states should pickup and leave so the millions of buffalo (American Bison) who %u201Cown%u201D that land can return.

If wild animals aren%u2019t controlled,-- and that includes killing individual Bears, mountain lions, et al that are proven man killers,--- they would definitely intrude into new hunting grounds (suburbs and towns).

If such a decision to reduce the human population in America by 250 million were to be reached by the %u201Cpowers that be%u201D I wonder how many of these posters would volunteer to be among the vanquished? Or would they quickly change their minds and say, kill the animals (bears)?
What do you think?

[hoffmom]

Once upon a time it was ALL wilderness and the animals were ALL untamed. Unless you propose painting a big red line on the ground demarcating the border between "civilization" and "wilderness" and saying that anyone who crosses it, human or animal, "gets what's coming to them," I'm not sure what your solution is.

Once a bear goes rogue, it continues to be a threat. Most likely, the bear ended up with the tendency because of contact with humans; after all, this was a campground, not a vast, untamed wilderness. He would've continued to come back, and even if they went so far as to close the park, he would've gone looking for another one- that's what rogue bears do. Geez, would someone please watch the Discovery Channel? Like I said, some people here need to actually get in touch with the nature they profess to love so much.

[my2centss]

Who goes camping without a flashlight and a gun? Might have turned out a bit better.

[decentiq]

Most poeple know where the areas are that are considered to be wild without a line being drawn. If this family was led to believe that they were safe because they were in a park (even though there are warning signs everywhere about bears), but they were not, then maybe the park rangers or whomever runs that park needs to explain why and how this could have happend. Either way, I don't think bears care if we call it a park or the wild, it is still an area with oppurtunity for them to find food and they will continue to hunt in the park or in the wild until they find it.

[thgdriver]

DecentIQ

I agree 100% with your post, seems the frontiersmen knew this and armed themselves accordingly. I am sorry the youngster was killed, the adults should be charged with child endangerment at the least.