A friend who was hiking in that area the same day the bear was put down, reported the same thing. Hiker had been using coconut scented oil.Originally Posted by Monk_Tampa
Stopped in at Spence last evening around 4:00 on the way to Mollies Ridge. The bear put down was not the one that attacked according to DNA. Two rangers are staying there and they have a tent set up outside the electric fence trying to bait it to return and a camera also. Iceman
interesting.....
i may try calling the PIO on monday and asking about this.....
When there is such a concentration of bear in such a small area...its un-natural. Problems will happen...and will continue to happen.
I have been hiking the A-T for over 30 years. You have a better chance of being getting attacked by a dog then a bear while hiking
Tell that to the guy who was just bit.
This came down today---
"Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials received results of DNA analyses comparing samples from bears found near the Spence Field Backcountry Shelter area where a bear attack occurred on May 10 involving a 49-year old hiker who was bitten while sleeping in his tent near the shelter. Two separate analyses were performed. The first analysis compared a sample of bear saliva from the hiker’s chewed belongings and a sample from a male bear euthanized from the same area on May 13. The second analysis compared a sample from the hiker’s belongings and a male bear from the area that was captured and released with a GPS-tracking collar on May 20. Based on the DNA analyses, neither of these two bears matched the bear responsible for the attack.
Over the last year, park managers have developed new protocols and techniques that support using DNA as a viable option in confirming matches before euthanasia in many situations. The park now has an agreement with a lab capable of providing DNA analysis in a timely manner. Park managers also secured viable options for facilities capable of safely holding wild bears captive temporarily. At the Spence Field backcountry location, transporting the bears 6 miles out of the backcountry by a ground crew to a holding facility was not considered a practical option.
Wildlife biologists have also developed GPS-tracking techniques that allow managers to consider collecting a DNA sample from a suspect bear and then releasing it with a GPS-tracking collar. With this technology, managers now have the opportunity to monitor and locate the bear as needed while waiting for the DNA analysis. Park biologists attempted this alternative with the bear captured on May 13 from Spence Field, but were unable to fit a collar securely on the bear’s extremely large neck. Staff was able to use this technology with the 200-pound male bear captured on May 20.
“Bears are iconic symbols in the Smokies and a decision to euthanize an animal is not made lightly,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Park staff have worked diligently over the last year to develop viable alternatives to euthanasia. Understandably, these options won’t be appropriate responses for every bear incident. In the interest of responsibly protecting hiker safety in America’s most visited national park, we make our decisions based on the best available information for each particular situation.”
Due to the backcountry location and the size of the 400-pound bear captured on May 13, management options were extremely limited. Park wildlife biologists recommended euthanasia of the bear based on a combination of factors including the presence of dental injuries consistent with the hiker’s bite wound, the size and gender of the bear, and being the first and only bear present near the scene of the attack. The large, dominant male bear fit the profile of a bear expected to have been responsible for the attack. The serious incident included not only an aggressive bite through a tent, but also repeated attempts to enter the victim’s tent. The victim had properly stored his food on the aerial food storage cables.
While human injury is rare, we have recently had multiple incidents of bears ripping into tents in the backcountry. The months of May and June are particularly difficult for bears due to the lack of abundant natural foods. Summer foods, primarily berries, will begin to ripen over the next several weeks and we historically see less aggressive bear behavior after that point. Hikers are reminded to take necessary precautions while in bear country including hiking in groups of 2 or more, carrying bear spray, complying with all backcountry closures, properly storing food regulations, and remaining at safe viewing distance from bears at all times.
The Spence Field Backcountry shelter remains closed and wildlife staff continue to monitor the site for additional bear activity. For more information on what to do if you encounter a bear while hiking, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm. To report a bear incident, please call 865-436-1230."
Sigh. Now if there was a fix for lack of awareness and outright stupidity on the part of many visitors to the Smokies, that would indeed be newsworthy.
I just got off the trail yesterday, section hiked from Clingmans Dome to Davenport gap. We ran into a Ridge Runner named Cloey and she told us the guy "Brad" had rubbed himself down with "Toasted Cocunut scented lotion". The bear apparently freaked out and took off. Mygroup went thru the smokies without seeing a single bear, though I heard they had a few this past Saturday night at Cosby Knolb shelter....
I am planning a 2017 thru hike. Considering flip-flopping (first half up to Katahdin, second south to Springer)
This sounds like an interesting idea, but I'll also be hitting GSM later than the NOBOs. What do folks think? Stick to the AT, or take the BMT?
I agree. The trail should have multiple routes thru GSMNP and one around it.
If you don't have something nice to say,
Be witty in your cruelty.
What do folks think? Stick to the AT, or take the BMT?
i think you and only you should answer this question...
both routes had pros and cons.......
Hikers should certainly have an option but for now it the GSMNP or a huge hassle. What trails or areas outside the park would be viable options?
Tapatalk
Sigh.
I'm Bradley Veeder, the hiker who was attacked near Spence Field shelter on May 10. I've really debated whether I should correct the misinformation in this thread. On Facebook, I've been told that I should have been euthanized instead of the bear. Hopefully, this forum is more civilized. I created this account in case anyone on the board wants to learn about the attack.
I've hiked extensively in MT, ID, WA, OR, CO and WY. I'm familiar with proper protocol in bear territory, and I followed it while hiking the AT.
I did not smear myself with coconut oil or coconut sunscreen. I used a Chrome Dome umbrella for sun protection. For backup, I bought a 1oz. tube of sunscreen at one of the outfitters along the trail (maybe at NOC). It was unused and unopened in the zippered compartment that I sewed into my Ray Jardine backpack. After the attack, the bear had returned to my tent and chewed all of my gear, including inedibles (pack, tent, tent poles, water filter, book, smartphone, etc.). The punctured sunscreen just smelled like a chemistry lab to me, instead of coconut.
I used an OPSAK (odor proof bag) for all of my food, including the food in my backpack. No one else on the trail was as concerned about food odors on their gear. I was hiking no-cook, so I didn't have cookware or a stove to cause food odors. All of my food and toiletries (toothbrush and floss) were hung on the bear cables at the shelter.
I was sleeping in a Big Agnes Fly Creek Platinum tent, which is a top-entry tent, with a vestibule above the head area. I had my gear (backpack, book, shoes, etc.) in the vestibule. The bear bit my right calf through the tent, which was at the opposite end of the tent from my gear.
Ranger Dan Wilson and I discussed the attack in depth a few days ago while he wrote his report. He concluded that I had camped in an appropriate location based on the overcrowding of the shelter and that I had used all "best practices" in avoiding bear problems. If you disagree with his analysis, then you should contact him.
I know that people would rather blame the hiker for all bear problems, but attacks can still happen even if you take all proper precautions. GSMNP has a fairly dense population of bears, and the bears are particularly hungry this year.
I've written a post about the attack at peachpeak.wordpress.com. I wrote about the attack from my perspective for anyone interested in reading.
If you have any questions, I'll check this thread a couple of times per day for a few days.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I don't see how using the BMT solves the problem. GSMNP has a high concentration of bears per square mile. A number of bears there have learned to associate humans with food. Probably because they "scored" some on occasion. Keep a very clean camp and hang the whole pack because what doesn't smell like food to you might smell delicious to a animal with amazing olfactory capabilities.
When you arrive at a BC site, look around for signs of bear habituation. Scat, claw marks on trees, and bear hair. If you see one of these signs, more than likely you will get a visit. You can either choose to be very vigilant or move on to another campsite. My closest encounter came at 41, years ago. This bear was staking the place out and had "marked" it. I wish I would have been better attuned, at the time, to look for these markers.
National Parks create an unnatural situation where wildlife is not exposed to hunting and therefore does not learn to fear humans. Something like this is much less likely to happen where bears are not at the top of the food chain. GSMNP is one of the few places along the AT that teaches animals not to fear humans. Great for spotting wildlife. Not so great when they think you have something they want.
People are quick to judge, There was another hiker here a few years ago that also had a tent intrusion , I hope it doesn't keep you from backpacking further.
Mr. Veeder, thanks for posting. You were unfortunate to run into a bear that had been conditioned to associate human stuff (tents) with food. I'm glad that you escaped without further injury. I certainly don't mean to imply you were the cause because when bears get aggressive enough to approach tents, they've had prior experiences.
I'm glad you logged on to clear this up and I will be checking out your post at https://peachpeak.wordpress.com/
Some people just don't understand that bears are, in part, predators. I'd say the low acorn production factors in way more than some little bottle of lotion.
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