Black Bear Bites Camper in Harriman State Park NY

[Traveler]

A young camper in Harriman SP was bitten by a black bear during a midnight snack hunt....

https://abc7ny.com/bear-attack-coope...ping/11885251/

[LazyLightning]

from the article...

"I made a mistake," Ayers said. "I left some of my food in my bag and spilled some on my leg and it was also other people that left a lot of trash around."

glad he's ok

[somers515]

from the article...
"I made a mistake," Ayers said. "I left some of my food in my bag and spilled some on my leg and it was also other people that left a lot of trash around."
glad he's ok

I'm also very glad he's ok and I'm impressed with the maturity of his response. I wish the adults who were leading this trip were a little better in terms of following up to confirm the boys had left a clean campsite. I once camped in PA not far from an AT shelter with a boy scout troop and while I appreciate getting young kids out into nature I was a little horrified with the boys bear "hang" of just placing it 15 feet from my tent on a tree limb that the boys were able to easily reach. I think I said hey if you are going to hang your food like that can you please move it away from my tent. They moved it away but a similar easy to reach "hang". I never noticed any adult check on their work and lucky for them their food was still there in the morning when I left.

[BillyGr]

I'm also very glad he's ok and I'm impressed with the maturity of his response. I wish the adults who were leading this trip were a little better in terms of following up to confirm the boys had left a clean campsite. I once camped in PA not far from an AT shelter with a boy scout troop and while I appreciate getting young kids out into nature I was a little horrified with the boys bear "hang" of just placing it 15 feet from my tent on a tree limb that the boys were able to easily reach. I think I said hey if you are going to hang your food like that can you please move it away from my tent. They moved it away but a similar easy to reach "hang". I never noticed any adult check on their work and lucky for them their food was still there in the morning when I left.

Aside from he himself having some food that he shouldn't have, it sounds like the rest was due to trash left by others. While Scouts do (or should) try to clean up what others failed to do, they likely would have done so when preparing to leave (the next day) and not before going to bed (since they'd have no place to put it overnight anyway that would be a major improvement - it is hard enough to properly store your own supplies and such, without trying to do so for what others didn't take along).

[cmoulder]

Aside from he himself having some food that he shouldn't have, it sounds like the rest was due to trash left by others. While Scouts do (or should) try to clean up what others failed to do, they likely would have done so when preparing to leave (the next day) and not before going to bed (since they'd have no place to put it overnight anyway that would be a major improvement - it is hard enough to properly store your own supplies and such, without trying to do so for what others didn't take along).

All scouts and scout leaders are not created equal. A few years back they had one of those "Jamboree" type gatherings, where several troops meet up and camp together, at Croton Point Park in NY. They camped directly adjacent to a small radio control flying field where I used to fly, so this was my direct observation. They left the area quite trashed, and they had confiscated the picnic tables from our flying field and didn't even bother to return them. I think they moved them with a flatbed trailer, but we had to carry them 100-200 yards back to their original location.

I'd like to think they're better disciplined and better led in other parts of the country but I am thoroughly unimpressed if this is their modus operandus today. Somebody from our club called to register our disgust, however I don't know if this led to any changes to their attitude and practices.

[somers515]

Aside from he himself having some food that he shouldn't have, it sounds like the rest was due to trash left by others. While Scouts do (or should) try to clean up what others failed to do, they likely would have done so when preparing to leave (the next day) and not before going to bed (since they'd have no place to put it overnight anyway that would be a major improvement - it is hard enough to properly store your own supplies and such, without trying to do so for what others didn't take along).

If my comment implied that I was faulting the adults supervising the scouts for not cleaning up other people's trash that is not what I meant. My point was that I wish that adults supervising scouts did a better job of supervising them and making sure they leave a clean camp (ie not leaving their food around and properly storing their food). I'm sure that supervising a lot of scouts is a hard job and its admirable to try to get the scouts out on a backpacking trip. I only have a limited exposure but the couple times I've seen let's just say I haven't been impressed by the adult level of supervision when it came to proper food storage.

[gpburdelljr]

If my comment implied that I was faulting the adults supervising the scouts for not cleaning up other people's trash that is not what I meant. My point was that I wish that adults supervising scouts did a better job of supervising them and making sure they leave a clean camp (ie not leaving their food around and properly storing their food). I'm sure that supervising a lot of scouts is a hard job and its admirable to try to get the scouts out on a backpacking trip. I only have a limited exposure but the couple times I've seen let's just say I haven't been impressed by the adult level of supervision when it came to proper food storage.

It was two Boy Scout leaders that toppled a hoodoo in Utah.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/p...pled-boy-scout

[Dale&Janet]

I carry a canister primarily because I am too short to get my food down once I hang it the recommended height, especially using the PCT method. It may be heavier, but overall, it saves on aggravation.

[perrymk]

[Mouser999]

Not I sit me down to eat
a bag of GORP at my feet

[Seatbelt]

Not I sit me down to eat
a bag of GORP at my feet

"if I awaken late at night
I pray it's not a black bear bite"

[Mouser999]

and if i feel a cold wet nose
I hope it's not nibbling on my toes

[scope]

Not I sit me down to eat
a bag of GORP at my feet

GORP - Good Ole Resting People

[illabelle]

That's a priceless image, perry!

[JPritch]

I've slept with my food a few times and was considering doing it more with all the reports of stolen food bags and ursacks, and busted canisters. But this puts a big 'ol check in the "Cons" column.

[HooKooDooKu]

I've slept with my food a few times and was considering doing it more with all the reports of stolen food bags and ursacks, and busted canisters. But this puts a big 'ol check in the "Cons" column.

Based on my social media experience, I would say that it seems like sleeping with your food is OK if you are in an area where the bears have not become conditioned to humans and still have a greater fear of the human than an interest in the smell of the food. But places where bears have become accustomed to people (basically anywhere lots of people go) you have lost the safety of the bears fear and it's no a good idea to sleep with your food

[LoneStranger]

Based on my social media experience, I would say that it seems like sleeping with your food is OK if you are in an area where the bears have not become conditioned to humans and still have a greater fear of the human than an interest in the smell of the food. But places where bears have become accustomed to people (basically anywhere lots of people go) you have lost the safety of the bears fear and it's no a good idea to sleep with your food

I lived by those rules for years up here in New England where the bears are hunted and scared of people. Things are changing with so many people in the woods the last few years. Haven't had problems. Just looked at it and went from sleeping with my food to using a bear can to be safe. I will leave it home for an overnight. Anything longer it comes along. I'm too old to be wrassling bears

[JNI64]

I like that there giving the kid a special bear patch for his scout uniform, he kinda deserves it. And the he was honest about the food I like that.

[cmoulder]

Not surprised.

That shelter, Tom Jones, and the one north of it, Bald Rocks, are very easily accessible and frequently used by scouts and other folks looking for an easy hike in so they can bring lots of food and beer but not LNT practices. They have food cables installed now at Bald Rocks but I don't know about Tom Jones. There are also cables at Fingerboard, Big Hill and Brien Memorial, and maybe some others.

So people leave lots of trash but the bear is the problem. Got it.

The kid handled it well. He seems very intelligent and articulate, so maybe it'll inspire him to learn more about bears and advocate for people cleaning up after themselves in the woods. Harriman has gotten a lot trashier since the start of the pandemic.

[cmoulder]

I think they might have cables up at Dutch Doctor shelter as well. Another easily-accessible trash magnet.

This photo was taken near there last fall.

Bear_02_small.jpg