Man Killed By black bear
Bears
BEAR ATTACKS AND KILLS MAN IN WOODS AROUND PRESCOTT
At approximately 7:50 this morning, the YCSO dispatch center received multiple 911 calls about a man who was being mauled by a bear in the Groom Creek Area. When YCSO deputies and Prescott PD arrived at the scene, which was in a heavily wooded remote area, they found Steven Jackson, 66 years old of Tucson dead of an apparent bear attack, and the bear dead nearby. Deputies called officials from Arizona Game and Fish to respond to the scene as well.
From multiple witness accounts and preliminary investigation of the scene, Mr. Jackson had been sitting having coffee at a table on his property where he was building a home. It appears that a male black bear attacked Mr. Jackson, taking him unaware, and dragged him approximately 75 feet down an embankment.
Neighbors who heard the victim screaming tried to intervene through shouts and car horns, but the bear did not let go of Mr. Jackson until one neighbor was able to retrieve his rifle and shoot the bear to get him to disengage. Unfortunately, by that time Mr. Jackson has succumbed to his horrible injuries.
According to Arizona Game and Fish and confirmed by YCSO this attack, which appeared to be predatory in nature, is highly uncommon and unusual, with only one other fatal attack known since the mid 1980s. At first glance there did not appear to be anything on the site that would have precipitated a attack by the bear, such as food, a cooking site or access to water.
There is no threat to the public as this bear has been put down. The location where the attack occurred was not near recreational sites for camping, but officials still caution revelers to take precautions when camping, such as locking up food in a vehicle and not leaving out items such as toothpaste that may bring a bear to your campsite.
YCSO will be conducting the death investigation, while Game and Fish will investigate what may have caused the attack, but officials at the moment do not have a theory other than a predatory response by the bear. Both investigations are just beginning, and more information will be release when available.
“Our sincere sympathies go out to Mr. Jackson’s family” said Sheriff David Rhodes. “I cannot express how deeply sad this situation is and can only say our prayers are with you.”
YCSO and Game and Fish caution people to not shoot bears that they see unless there is an imminent threat to you or someone else.
Dad news. Don't think I've ever heard of a black bear killing anyone. Prayers for his family. So sad
I'd have expected this story to come out of Connecticut or New Jersey.
There was that kid who got killed down in the Smokies a few years ago, but it can’t be that uncommon because the standard advice (from long enough ago that I couldn’t tell you when) is that with black bears, you stand your ground and try to out-bluff them, and if that fails, fight like hell… because if you play dead, you soon will be for real.
You have to wonder what was behind that one, though…. Hope they come up with something useful. Poor guy was probably looking forward to his retirement there…
DanaC right wasn't expecting Arizona!
I read that over the last 2 decades it's a little over 1 death per year due to black bears on average.
Tragic.
I suppose the PETAns will say that it wasn’t predatory and the bear was just rightfully defending his territory from a human who was building a cabin on the bear’s turf, so they will convince themselves that the poor guy had it coming….
I did like the way that the local law enforcement was cautioning people against killing bears without proper cause, though - there’s no question that the locals have the wherewithal and everybody’s fine with that - “just don’t get trigger-happy, now, folks!”
One of the CT Guys recently reported that a bill that would legalize DLP shootings had passed the Senate but I’m not sure whether it has been fully passed into law.
Seriously. They have to pass legislation to allow us to kill a bear that’s coming through the door or gnawing on your leg.
This place really is kinda nuts….
The man that posted this is a retired government trapper. One guy replied he didn’t understand why the bear had to be euthanized? He said those are the risks we take for living in areas where wildlife live. REALLY? I’ll bet he would have a different opinion if it was his child or grandchild. I have given up any hope for this country. These type of people are becoming so prevalent everywhere.
I have a book about Bears & it contains some terrible encounters of Bear attacks & killings of people. The worst I recall was 2 boys fishing a stream. Their Dad had dropped them off. When he returned he found both boys dead from a bear attack. The DNR person actually sat with the Dad & left the boy for bait. The Bear returned to where he had the boy covered & they killed the bear. The other boy was stalked & killed after the other & taken across the stream & covered up. Black Bear attack a lot more than people think & the book is filled with stories.
There was a lady killed by a black near Durango, CO a couple of years ago.
Since none of use were there it's all a guess on what really happened. I did hear that the bear was shot because it was starting to eat the gentleman that it killed.
Time will tell what the real story is. Sad for sure and regards to the family
"Neighbors who heard the victim screaming tried to intervene through shouts and car horns, but the bear did not let go of Mr. Jackson until one neighbor was able to retrieve his rifle and shoot the bear to get him to disengage. Unfortunately, by that time Mr. Jackson has succumbed to his horrible injuries".
He was sitting at a table outside drinking coffee.
I'm moving to the city... Ed F
.” I did hear that the bear was shot because it was starting to eat the gentleman that it killed.”
……… as if it had just killed him and decided not to eat him he would NOT nave been shot.
Is wasn’t the eating that got the thing shot it was the attacking and killing.
ahunter76 - I think that may be the book I read years ago but can't remember the name, can you please give the title? Thanks...
Sad to hear this!!! And this is one of many reasons I always have a weapon on me!
I believe the name of the book you are talking about is Man Eaters, and I have a copy sitting less than 5 feet from me! It's an awesome but terrifying book to read before going into bear country!
Prayers for the man's family!
Check the records thru the years, black bears have killed several people including in Canada
And there was an incident about 20 years back within an hour or so of NYC; involved 2 little kids, one in a stroller.
I think it happens far more often we hear about it. Because it’s really not a National News-worthy item unless it’s a pretty slow day otherwise….
About 100 in the last 100 years unfortunately. Feel for this gentleman and his family. I remember reading about a child taken from out of a stroller years ago. Used to have night mares about one of my kids getting grabbed by one. While both were still in diapers had a momma bear and three cubs in a tree right outside our church in town.
When they were in grade school had one outside the daycare (they were reading going on a bear hunt) and on another occasion a school lockdown due to a bear showing up on the playground. Just had a bear get hit by a car last week near the farmstead where I hunt.
We’ve had some serious attacks in the Poconos over the years, but no fatalities Thank God!
Had a couple women attacked and drug off. One happened in 2005 near Hickory Run State Park. The woman panicked and ran when a bear went into her tent looking for food. Mauled her and drug her off into the woods and buried her under a pile of leaves. When the bear wandered off, the woman escaped. See link for the other woman who got drug off.........................
2 years later a boy was bitten in Hickory Run when a bear ripped his tent open going after the candy he had in it, and in a separate incident a couple weeks later a boy was pulled out of his tent by his sleeping bag by another Bear.
Prescott must be different..... the AZ I recall a good number of folks would not have had to "go retrieve" a firearm....
Sad to hear somebody minding their own business killed by wildlife. Was just in Yellowstone and you'd think with all the natural selection going on it would have been from there,,,,, crazy what folks do get away with....
Very sad. Makes me think of the teen's / early 20's college students walking in the NJ water break maybe 5-8 yrs ago who were attacked, one killed, by a black bear. They are big powerful animals, and the alpha or near it in much of their range. People need to take them seriously.
That was actually 2014 ............
Just saw this on the news the other day.......................could you imagine standing on your deck in your underwear when a bear runs right past you?!
If THAT won’t teach a guy to forego the briefs, what will???
LOL! “Tighty Whities!” : )
Hell, not even underwear models look good in those…
Delivered some firewood to the next door neighbor who informed me that a sow with 2 small cubs is hanging out in the neighborhood. That plus the 3 javalina that I have spotted several times makes me glad that I have a gps collar on the dog so if he has a run in I can recall him.
Terry
Black bears can be very dangerous. in 2012 my brother and I were elk hunting one of our areas we hunt frequently that has a high population of black bear. Yes we had bear licenses.I had killed my bull the day before and was calling for my brother. We got to a drainage and had 2 bulls bugling. the bull above us was much more interested so we set up with my in the creek bottom and him above me on the slope. After about 10 min of working the bull the one behind me went silent and the one above us was coming in. All of a sudden I hear something stop in the creek behind me. Turning to look and expecting to see a bull elk I see a large black bear about 15 feet behind me. I quietly say hay bear and throw a rock at it. It just stands there, I stand up wave my arms and throw another rock and so go a way bear louder. It just starts walking towards me. I start moving back wards yelling at the bear with it coming towards me, as hard as I tried the flight instinct took over and I ran up the hill the 60 yards to my brother as I get to him I say that bear was gonna eat me. We look down the hill and 20 yards away the bear comes around a tree still coming up the hill behind me. as it turns broad side to go around a dead fall my brother puts and arrow through it. It runs down the hill to where I was and dies. When we turned the kill in to the Game and Fish the bear biologist said that when a bear comes in like that to eat and doesn't run a way away when it sees a human it has made its mind up to eat no matter what. Said I was very lucky to have heard the bear when I did. I always carry a side arm no matter what now.
Bear mauled a boy in the NYC Suburbs yesterday.............
"Don't think I've ever heard of a black bear killing anyone"
Sad story, my condolences to family....
Read years ago records indicated black bears had killed more people than grizzlies...
Zbone-someplace I have an "older" book on Bears & Black Bears have killed many people. There are some gruesome documented stories in the book. 1 is where a black bear actually stalked & killed 2 boys that were fishing (Canada). Their Dad had dropped them off & was to come back later & pick them up. The boys had separated fishing different spots. The Bear stalked & killed one, took him across the creek & covered him. Then, went & stalked, killed the other boy. When Dad returns he finds the Bear feeding on 1 & Bear runs off. Gets DNR & they actually sit near one of the boys. Can't imagine what the dad was going through. Bear comes back & actually starts to stalk them when DNR kills it.. Many others & all documented.. In this book, at the time they said Black Bears accounted for more attacks, killings than other others. I will see if I can find that book..
Want a view of the wild. Expect. The wild.
Sometime ago I came upon a family of young coyotes while on a hike no firearms handy, they acted somewhat aggressive... I picked up a long branch from ground and pointed it at them like a rifle, boy they scattered pronto!
When a griz/brown bear attacks/charges it's typically to assert dominance and they "likely" won't kill you even though they may mess you up. When a black bear attacks/charges, with the possible exception of cubs nearby, it's because they want to kill and eat you.
Any one who lacks respect for a black bear is a fool
ahunter, I read that too long ago. I’m pretty certain had the new age conservationists not fell in love with the idea of grizzly running around protected in the lower 48, it’d still be that way.
Guy in AZ was killed by a black bear this spring when he was drinking morning coffee at his picnic table on an undeveloped lot around Prescott.
My son was on Deck drinking coffee on vacation in Smoky Mtns when this one came after his donuts
I take it that’s quite a young one?
Not that it matters — that’s a Dead Bear waiting to happen anyway. Pick a spot.
I had to shoot one in my property a while back , after it destroyed a bunch of stuff at my place and the neighbors. I scare it away a few times, I even used bear spray , but the last time it charged and had to shoot it. For the record , I waited to the last second and it ate lead at 3 feet away from me. I hated the fact that just to move around in my property I had to carry a shotgun all the time, not to mention that there are small kids in the area. I suspect that, either, someone was feeding it , or had access to human food somehow.
