Unbelieveable. I'm just short of speechless, esp coming out of this state.

Bears unnatural in UT

So, the "bear hunters" found the campsite unoccupied and yet knew of a prior attack. IMHO, they are remiss for not posting a warning in that campsite.

And, the family had food in the tent???

That is like hanging out the welcome sign....

Sorry, bears are natural. The only thing unnatural is the current wildlife management that prohibits hunting of bears and the silly people that find bears cute and want to feed them.

>>>*We have Bears around here, the wife learned quickly that she can't run a compost pile like she did up at our other ranch.
I had one come up a trail my way a couple of years ago, thought at first it was a Dog since I was running my chainsaw at the time.
When it got within 100 feet and stood up on it's hind legs to see what I was, I shut off the saw (not thinking there, huh?) took out my pistol and planted a few rounds between it's front legs.
It did understand that....Bears usually will just run away, but not always...*EB

Popping off a few rounds in these parts teaches the bears that the noise doesn't hurt, then the trouble ramps up.

This just in:
(Toronto Sun) Raid by bear forces hungry canoeist to eat his dog: Here's another reason to make sure to keep your food away from bears when traveling in the wilderness. Canadian authorities report a canoeist on a lengthy trip near St. James Bay in the far northern part of that country was forced to kill his beloved dog and eat it in the three months after a bear invaded his camp, smashing his canoe and getting all of his food. According to the Toronto Sun, 44-year-old Marco Lavoie used a rock to kill his German shepherd. While it was a bad end for the dog, things didn't go that much better for Lavoie. "By the time provincial police airlifted him out three months later,'' the newspaper reported, "Lavoie was barely able to speak or eat. He suffered hypothermia and dehydration while losing about 90 pounds." He is now reported to be hospitalized in "very serious" condition.
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We ain't exactly apex species, are we? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

The scumbag couldn't find enough to eat without killing a blameless dog? I can't wish him a speedy recovery. Failure to plan for bear raids does not excuse such a breach of faith with the dog.

Uh- there's not a lot up in St James' Bay. It doesn't have near the flora/fauna of the deep South for surviving. If he was already up there at the wrong time of year if berries weren't on, there's not a lot to eat, even for a bear.

If the guy (or any other trekker or scientist) was traveling by kayak, you're not exactly lugging 55 gal drums for overpacking your gear. I take solar electric fencing with a grain of salt for bear deterrent.

With all due respect, it's not the first time dogs have been eaten at our latitudes; not everyone can snare squirrels, never mind have that kind of gear with them.

I do have an appreciation for survival issues and understand that survival involves different strategies depending on location.

While I dislike seeing survival resort to being dependent on a pet, I do accept that there come a point when the decision must be made. There is infamous action, AKA the Doner Party, that underscores the deliema.

The core issue remains -- the individual began a trek where he was not prepared. If his supplies were wiped out by a bear, he was not equipped with bear-proof storage.

If he had to resort to survival by eating his dog, he was not prepared to be engaging in the trek.

In short, the individual was not prepared to survive in case of emergency.

Food issue aside, I think if he hadn't lost his canoe in the encounter that the story would be quite a different one. Apparently that was glossed over.