Bear attack of hammock camper last night in GSMNP

[SGT Rock]

I hope for a speedy recovery. They might be members here.

I bet they are. I really feel for them because "for the grace of God..."

I've been back up in that section many times including doing campsite clean-up as the BMTA Smokies Coordinator with my son hanging in our hammocks. The first thing I thought of is what if that were my son? I remember running into Gredemeer and his son up there and I hope it wasn't them either.

My condolences to the two hikers. A terrible way to have a hike go. I hope you have a speedy recovery and it doesn't turn you off to backpacking. Maybe someday this will make a good story around the campfire, and if so, I would love to be there and hear it.

[Ratdog]

Several sites along the AT and campgrounds in several States (NJ, VA, NC, TN are some) have temporarily closed due to bear activity. Generally what is happening is the same old same old. Folks are leaving food out, bears are finding easy pickings and returning to the area. There are a number of articles in local newspapers and online communities.

Obviously the hope is, by shutting stuff down for some period of time, the bears forage elsewhere. For anyone who has done some foraging, it's a lot of work and snagging someone's bag of granola is much easier.

In this case, with food stored properly (according to the article linked) the 16yr old was pulled from his hammock by the bear. The boy's father was able to drive the bear away from camp. Pretty bold actions for a black bear even though it's the rut. (black bear rut runs May-June)

Best wishes to the injured boy and his family. Going to make one heck of a story...thank goodness.

[SGT Rock]

In this case, with food stored properly (according to the article linked) the 16yr old was pulled from his hammock by the bear. The boy's father was able to drive the bear away from camp. Pretty bold actions for a black bear even though it's the rut. (black bear rut runs May-June)

They have been getting problems with bears in that area lately. I personally feel it is due to their designated campsite system which makes it an easy way to habituate bears to certain locations. I wish they had policies more like Shenandoah National Park where there are designated campsites, but you can also camp away from those places provided you meet some rules about that.

I wonder about this place, just a few miles from there a few years back I had a young adult bear come into my campsite right at sundown as I was cooking. Normally shooing the bears from you there work, but this one kept coming until it was about 10'-15' from me. I think they have had a non-timid bear in the valley for some time and this one finally got bold enough to go that next step. I wouldn't be surprised if it were that same bear, but there is no way to tell.

[Ratdog]

I hear ya, much prefer backcountry camping myself. With the young ones, it's easier to do the car camping / camp ground thing, can't wait for them to get older.

Habituated bears are problematic for campers, just are. It's our fault of course for being there but that's just how it is. Educating folks, enforcing policies, that's what we do and when it fails, generally it's the critter that pays the price. Bear attacks human=problem bear=tasty bear on the grill and a fun in front of the fireplace imho. Don't need that bear passing any ideas on to others.

Having said all that, and living in a state where black bear are so numerous we have regular hunts and impressive population numbers (bear and human), all my significant experience comes from backcountry hiking in the West/Pacific Northwest. It was all I could do to sneak up and get a few pics before being scented by blacks, browns or cinammons. Been a long time. In North Jersey, the most I've seen is them leaving the trail or road as I'm passing by and I'm good with that.

[krshome]

Guaranteed the park service is trying to track this bear to put down, thats probably why so many trails are closed. Sad!

[SGT Rock]

I guess he's not the only one.

I guess the park should bring all the bears in for retraining. "Look bears, we spent a lot of money on those cables. If you don't start respecting them people might stop putting their faith in hanging".

I'm just glad no one has started blaming the victim with some asinine comment like "he must have had a tater chip in his pocket".

[Les Rust]

When I was growing up in Gatlinburg in the 60s the park estimated the bear population at about 600. The estimate is now about 1500. More bears equals more competition for food and more encounters with humans. I would say that the continual use of the same campsites is one factor in habituating bears to human contact and one of the reasons that this episode occurred. Perhaps the park should explore the idea of at least rotating campsites to discourage habituation.
Another odd thing about this attack is that I do not remember seeing any warnings for increased bear activity at CS 84 leading up to this.

[Ratdog]

Just checked the National Park Service list for that area, a pretty healthy list to be sure. I'm sure the Park Service folks have considered rotating closures and any number of other options. I give them credit for the ongoing challenge of wildlife, people and budget challenges.

I'll admit to slacking off some on cleaning up all food when camping up in NW Jersey, aka black bear central, too much time in family campgrounds has made me lazy. Time to tighten up the policing of the camp routine.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...htmBackcountry

Greater Smokey Mountains National Park NC/TN

Facilities

For current backcountry trail and campsite information, please call (865) 436-1297.

Bear Closures - areas that are closed due to bear activity. Please read What Do I Do If I See A Bear? for important safety information about bears.
Hazel Creek Trail
Jenkins Ridge Trail
Bone Valley Trail
Cold Spring Gap Trail
Derrick Knob Shelter
Mount Le Conte Shelter
Backcountry Campsites 38, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88
Bear Warnings - areas where bears are active. Please read What Do I Do If I See A Bear? for important safety information about bears.
Laurel Falls Trail
Mount Le Conte Lodge area
Russell Field Shelter
Backcountry Campsites 13, 24
Other Backcountry Closures and Warnings

Alum Cave Trail and associated parking areas will be closed to all visitor use on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m. through Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m. each week (excluding federal holidays) from May 4 through November 19, 2015. The trail will be open on Friday through Sunday. More information
Fontana Dam is closed to vehicle traffic due to a construction project. Hikers can park at the Fontana Dam Visitor Center and walk across a marked route to access the park trailheads, including the AT, the Lakeshore Trail and the Benton Mackaye Trail.
Scott Mountain Trail is closed from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap. Campsite #6 is open.
Backcountry Campsite 11 is closed

Might as well include the AT Update List:

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiking/trail-updates

[cfi on the fly]

Is it just me, or in the last two years have there been alot more bear attacks than normal. Off the top of my head: kids hiking in NJ-one of them gets seperated and eaten, about 6 weeks ago while cowboy sleeping man next to camper in Canada is eaten, North of Minnesota by a refinery plant girl attacked and killed while bystanders watch, man in wyoming killed while sleeping. These are just ones I can recall so there may be more.

Hope the boy will pull through and still be able to get back out and enjoy nature.

[Ratdog]

Is it just me, or in the last two years have there been alot more bear attacks than normal. Off the top of my head: kids hiking in NJ-one of them gets seperated and eaten, about 6 weeks ago while cowboy sleeping man next to camper in Canada is eaten, North of Minnesota by a refinery plant girl attacked and killed while bystanders watch, man in wyoming killed while sleeping. These are just ones I can recall so there may be more.

Hope the boy will pull through and still be able to get back out and enjoy nature.

Hoping for the same.

So much of this is education. The unfortunate Rutgers student was photographing the bear and in the pictures that were recovered, several showed the bear closing to an unsafe distance. Getting folks smarter won't eliminate risks, it is the great outdoors and there are critters that can do you harm, but we can all be smarter about being out there. It's easy to get lax or lazy, I do it from time to time. Prepare, procedure, practice.

More of us, more bear, sharing the same area, stuff's gonna happen. I know there is an increase of encounters in NJ simply because we are developing further into the woods and bear numbers are on the rise. Stands to reason that encounters will increase in frequency.

Nothing will stop me from getting out there, the most dangerous part is still driving to my destination.