Jan 9, 2020
I’m not sure if anyone in this group will see this. But, tonight for the first time in all these years I looked up this tragic story. I was the first of 3 people who encountered the Scouts after this happened. As I hiked with my backpack up the the
Halfdome cables, someone passed me and said, some Boy Scouts stones to death a bear.
Horrified I kept going up the trail and it wasn’t long before I came across 2 Rangers. It was a somber morning hearing what happened. Being that it was before smart phones and social media, no one took pictures to document. I had my 35mm but never
even thought it because back then we were so in the moment, angered & sad that this happened.
I had not been very far away camping. And I know I had a bear visit my campsite also. The thing is...if you make loud noise they will go away. All the times I had been there, I had never felt the need to pick up a stone. It was always clang pans &
yell.
This incident has kind of haunted me over the years. It could have turned out even worse if the mother bear turned on these people. But to me...this was needless. There was no doubt that morning, to me, the leaders overacted and did not do what in my
opinion was the proper thing. While I’m thankful I didn’t walk up on a person dead. I certainly do not think that would have happened. And it is I’m embedded in my head picturing a small bear was needlessly stoned.
Hopefully the Scouts are taught better skills for wilderness camping. And I really hope those Leaders & Scouts are now working in the forestry, National Parks or in life doing something worthwhile giving back to humanity. If nobody reads this...I’m
good with that. But it’s been something I’ve thought about all these years and it’s good to release it. Nothing could be done.

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On Wed, 8 Jan 2020 22:57:37 -0800 (PST), airstreamkitten@gmail.com
wrote:

Jan 9, 2020
I=E2=80=99m not sure if anyone in this group will see this. But, tonight f= >or the first time in all these years I looked up this tragic story. I was = >the first of 3 people who encountered the Scouts after this happened. As I=
hiked with my backpack up the the Halfdome cables, someone passed me and s=
aid, some Boy Scouts stones to death a bear.=20
Horrified I kept going up the trail and it wasn=E2=80=99t long before I cam= >e across 2 Rangers. It was a somber morning hearing what happened. Being = >that it was before smart phones and social media, no one took pictures to d= >ocument. I had my 35mm but never even thought it because back then we were=
so in the moment, angered & sad that this happened. =20
I had not been very far away camping. And I know I had a bear visit my ca=
mpsite also. The thing is...if you make loud noise they will go away. All=
the times I had been there, I had never felt the need to pick up a stone. =
It was always clang pans & yell.=20
This incident has kind of haunted me over the years. It could have turned = >out even worse if the mother bear turned on these people. But to me...this = >was needless. There was no doubt that morning, to me, the leaders overacte= >d and did not do what in my opinion was the proper thing. While I=E2=80=99= >m thankful I didn=E2=80=99t walk up on a person dead. I certainly do not t= >hink that would have happened. And it is I=E2=80=99m embedded in my head pi= >cturing a small bear was needlessly stoned. =20
Hopefully the Scouts are taught better skills for wilderness camping. And = >I really hope those Leaders & Scouts are now working in the forestry, Natio= >nal Parks or in life doing something worthwhile giving back to humanity. If=
nobody reads this...I=E2=80=99m good with that. But it=E2=80=99s been som=
ething I=E2=80=99ve thought about all these years and it=E2=80=99s good to = >release it. Nothing could be done.

I was at Philmont in 1976 with my 2 sons. We knew to hang anything
with a good scent in a tree at night and that clanging on pots and
pans were supposed to scare the bears away. Fortunately we never had a
problem.

As for your story, Tater diagnosed the problem, "You can't cure
stupid!"

Hugh
Eagle 1943

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