A Missouri man died at an Arkansas campsite days after he texted his family pictures of a bear near his tent.
The 60-year-old camper was staying at Sam’s Throne in the Ozark National Forest near Mt. Judea when he stopped responding to messages. His son contacted authorities Thursday after not hearing from him “for a couple of days,” according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s news release.
Deputies discovered the man’s truck and an abandoned campsite when they arrived.
“The campsite had been disturbed and there was evidence of a struggle and injury,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “There were also drag marks leading from the campground into the woods.”
Officers found the victim’s body several yards away with severe injuries.
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said his office cannot confirm a bear killed the man “until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy.”
“We know without a doubt that a bear was in camp with our victim and the injuries absolutely are consistent with a bear attack,” Wheeler said. “This is a highly unusual case.”
Authorities suspect a young male black bear based on the photos the victim sent his family. Investigators are working with wildlife officers, hunters and tracking dogs to find the animal and test it for any conditions that may have caused the attack.
Wheeler warned locals against hunting for the bear themselves.
“I don’t want this to become open season on any bear that someone may see, as most bears fear humans and run away,” he said.
The campground remains closed as the investigation continues. The death comes weeks after 72-year-old Vernon Patton was killed in Franklin County in the state’s first reported bear attack in 25 years, according to Arkansas Times.
