Soda Butte campgrounds - Bear attacks

[thebakers]

Soda Butte campgrounds - Bear attacks leave one dead, two injured at Montana campgrounds (cnn.com)

Wow! Two separate attacks; one dead and two injured. I've read here of several individuals posting bear warnings and how to store food. But they said that no food was found in the tent where the deceased individual was found.

How awfully sad, and scary!

[OneMoreDay]

I agree, Mike, that is a very scary story. Between midnight and 2 a.m.; it's hard to imagine a provocation scenario.

Thanks for posting the heads-up.

[stumps]

I've been following this story since it broke yesterday, and all the reports I've read seem to indicate that this was almost like the grizzly was hunting... it was strange.  very sad.  Last year I bought a can of bear spray, cost me $50, and I was ridiculed by a few hiking buddies... but that's OK.  We're not in bear country too often, and I'm not sure anything could have helped that situation, but I keep in close on hikes and within arms reach at night.  this was very, very sad, though.

[Spirit Deer]

I heard they caught the sow and two of her three cubs.  I'm sure that'll be the end of her, if it's proven she's the culprit.  I guess they're not sure yet what they'll do with the cubs.

So now I suppose the news media will all jump on the scary-bear bandwagon to the point where everyone in the country decides it's totally unsafe to be anywhere in bear country.

Hey, wait!  I live in bear country!  More camping spots for me!

[thebakers]

Hey, wait!  I live in bear country!  More camping spots for me!

I'll be right next to you! The reports state that the cubs will also be put down out of fear of them 'inheriting' their mothers instincts; following in her footsteps so to speak. They won't be able to determine this for a few years but they don't want to wait and find out the hard way.

And I also read that they closed all of the campsites in and around Yellow Stone after this attack and have yet to reopen them until they determine if the captured bear is actually the one they're looking for. Not sure how true that is but that's what cnn dot com is reporting.

[stumps]

And I also read that they closed all of the campsites in and around Yellow Stone after this attack and have yet to reopen them until they determine if the captured bear is actually the one they're looking for. Not sure how true that is but that's what cnn dot com is reporting.

the only campsites I'm aware that were closed were the Soda Butte campground, and a few others in the National Forest in that area, but none were closed inside Yellowstone park that I know of

[thebakers]

You may be right but as I stated "I also read that they closed all of the campsites in and around Yellow Stone after this attack and have yet to reopen them"

Not sure how true that is but that's what is being reported.

[MrBigDog2U]

I can verify that they did not close all of the Yellowstone campgrounds (not disputing what you read, just verifying that it was in error). We just returned from a two-week trip in which we saw Yellowstone and the Tetons. We were staying at Fishing Bridge campground from 7/29-8/1 and nary a word was said about this incident when we checked in. We had heard the report from a fellow camper at our prior location. The remaining campgrounds (Bridge Bay, Canyon, Madison, etc.) all filled to capacity with RVs and even tents.

[thebakers]

Thanks for the correction! Guess that, as in most cases with the news, you need to wait a few hours/days before the real facts are printed.

Mike
 

[Spirit Deer]

I said on another thread I can't imagine the impossibility of closing Yellowstone at the height of the season.  Think of the thousands of people en route who wouldn't know about a closure, how few places outside the park are not already booked, how unpopulated that entire region is  so there aren't a lot of places to go, etc, etc. 

Besides, the park is 2.2 million acres.  That would be a lot of land to shut down for just one bear.