A 60-year-old Missouri man was found dead Thursday near his campsite in Mt. Judea, Arkansas, with injuries consistent with a bear attack, just two days after sending photos of a bear to his family.
Police discovered the body several hundred yards from the campsite with signs of a struggle and drag marks leading away from the camp. The man’s son requested a welfare check after his father failed to check in for several days following the bear photos.
The victim suffered “extensive” injuries “consistent with those expected from a large carnivore attack,” according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials continued searching Saturday for the bear, which appeared to be a young male based on the photos. Authorities stated they cannot confirm whether the photographed bear was the attacker.
“Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can’t 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it,” Sheriff Glenn Wheeler stated. “We are attempting to find the bear and dispose of it so the Game and Fish Commission can test it for anything that may have led to the encounter.”
Wheeler added: “We know without a doubt that a bear was in camp with our victim and the injuries absolutely are consistent with a bear attack. This is a highly unusual case. History tells us that once a bear becomes predatory, it often continues those behaviors.”
The Sam’s Throne campground has been temporarily closed while the search continues. Wheeler advised outdoor enthusiasts to keep food away from sleeping areas, avoid approaching bears regardless of size, and carry bear spray or defensive tools.
“I don’t want this to become open season on any bear that someone may see, as most bears fear humans and run away,” Wheeler stated. “But, at the same time, don’t put yourself or others in jeopardy.”
If confirmed, this would mark Arkansas’s second bear attack in a month. A 72-year-old Arkansas man died in early September after being mauled by a black bear. The last fatal bear attack in Arkansas before these incidents occurred in 1892, according to the Arkansas Times.
Keith Stephens, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission chief of communications, expressed shock at the recent incidents. “I don’t even know how to put it into words, to tell you the truth. These things just don’t happen. It just seems so bizarre. It’s not even in my realm of comprehension.”
The bear involved in the September attack was euthanized.
