Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Black Bear Attack

The old man was 90 and not in good health, also had the onsets of dementia but was still able to hold a conversation. I doubt he would of been able to defend himself and I don't know if he even had a firearm. I just wonder if a bear could sense that vulnerability.

The end results are pretty clear, the reality of the timeline and circumstances to the tragedy will most likely never be known. In the old man’s condition, it’s possible the bear could have wondered into the camp with an already deceased body. Not saying it did, just could have.

If the bear took the time to cache’ the old man’s body, he was definitely in no hurry to get out of there….and it was planning on coming back.

You cannot trust a bear. And if you see one at anything like close range, it is always, always, watching you. Even when it's looking away, it is watching you.

I hike and drive 4X4 trails often in Ocala NF, several state forests and Osceola NF. I run up against bears more than you might think. I always have a heavy loaded revolver or an adequate long gun with me. Recently on a camp out in Osceola, this bear was a nuisance. I told the rangers that if he huffed any more and charged into camp, I was going to kill him. They came out and ran him and his girl friend off. Ranger figured the bear was around 300 pounds

Carl the old mans son in law said said granpa was fine that evening, I guess he could have died that night, an autopsy will tell. Also the bear killed granpa first, stashed his body nearby and then came back and killed the dog, so that bear wasn't going anywear.

It’s sad any way you look at it. They’ll figure it out a lot more as they sift through things. Even at a frail 90 yrs old, there most likely will be defensive wounds if he struggled any at all.
RIP

I know nothing about bears, but will shoot any of them getting stupid, and want to slap the piss out of the dummies that say a black bear wont hurt you, they need to be slapped and sterilized.

i'd birdshot that bastard in the ribcage, this ain't your yard blackie!

This is a tragic incident though fortunately extremely rare. There are many questions to answer to begin to make a reasonable guess as to what occurred and why. I know two people that have been injured by black bears in non-hunting related incidents. One believes the bear was waiting for him to pass but ran my acquaintance over and took a swipe at him when my acquaintance switched direction and walked toward the bear. The other was attacked while walking her dog. The dog started barking at the brush and ran into the brush. This resulted in a bear rushing out and begin slapping the woman. The bear quickly stopped and ran off. This one was believed to have been the result of the loser of a fight between two boars trying to take its frustrations out on the dog but switching to the woman when the dog ran back to her. The first might have been another sore loser but that is only a guess based on how strange the circumstances were. Both happened between late May and mid-June which is peak mating season here.

That bear might be 300 pounds if one includes its buddies on the scale. It doesn't look much larger than a big black lab which, in the fall, would put it in the 150-180# range for a two year old male or the typical female up here. A 300# bear will be about 6' from butt to nose and be over waist tall (I have a 34" inseam so well over 36" and maybe around 40") at the shoulder. And it's belly will be sagging, either from loose skin or full of fat, not tucked upward.

If two or more bears in this size range are hanging out together I would be inclined to think they are a pair of 2 year olds that have been kicked out of the house by mom and her new boyfriend. Or, a single 2 year old with mom which could be the case as another look at the picture the bear looks to have some muscle mass which might make it mom. It would also better fit its actions upon further reflection.

Black bears do not worry me much though they do deserve respect as they are powerful and can be dangerous in some circumstances. That said, they aren't very high on my list of worries but they are on the list. I feel they are more likely to injure a person through a series of "mistakes" by both parties rather than a deliberate act by the bear. The closest call I've had was having a cub try to climb into the stand with me. Mom wasn't happy but I'm not sure if it was directed at me or the cub. In any case she soon left with the other cub leaving the first cub insisting on joining me on the seat. He finally realized mom was leaving and slid down the tree to catch up to them.

Probably a good thing I don't live in bear country because I'd kill everyone I saw. It's a sad state that predators of all stripes have more protections than people do in this country.

Bears wander through Asheville at will. They climb my son's steps to the back deck right past the door all the time. Broke into the neighbor's house and pulled ice cream out of the fridge. Tear open garbage cans every night before pickup day. One huge 400 pounder waked down the street one time. It's a weird symbiosis waiting for something like this.

I saw something a year or two ago where a bear was hibernating in somebody's backyard in town.

Between 1990 and 2023, Canada recorded 22 fatal black bear attacks resulting in 24 deaths, and 17 fatal grizzly bear attacks resulting in 20 deaths.

So Black bears have killed more humans in Canada then Grizzly. I don't trust any bear, and am always armed while in bear country!

Splain them numbers to a mathmuticion. Don't add up on my fingers!

some bears are hungry enuff to eat two at a sitting.......

The bear can tear open a tent and eat both occupants but it counts as one attack.

You win the prize 19352012, 1 attack and two casualties ='s 1 attack.

I’m gonna give y’all the formula for an inexpensive reliable option for non gun people to use.

A newer model Stainless Charter Bulldog 44 Special shooting Buffalo Bore item 14B 255gr Keith Heavy

Don’t believe any hype about the revolver not holding together. Practice with cowboy loads and load the BB 255gr for outdoors.

Side note, almost all of the non BB loads from cowboy on up kick about the same and impact at 10 yards about the same. The Hornady Critical Defense kicks less than cowboy loads. The 255gr Keith BB is snappy but you’ll never feel it if using it for defense.

I would not shoot a ton of the BB 255gr in the Charter but if you feel uncomfortable at least load the first two cylinders up.

I shoot the BB 255’s in a Charter fairly regularly and haven’t had any gun damage (so far), newer models are +P rated

imma thinking number two gonna wanna be the ONE counted!

I love photographing them. But bumbling into a big bear and disturbing his hot July day bath with nothing between him and me except a ditch, weeds and camera lense can be a little disconcerting.