July 31st, 2010 
CWN 
Just weeks after the mauling death of 70 year of Erwin Frank Evert of Park Ridge, Ill another female grizzly attacked sleeping campers in the Soda Butte campground killing one man and wounding 2 others. Kevin Kammer, 48, from Michigan was killed and drug away from the campground before the grizzly attacked 2 other campers.
The 2nd attack happened to Canada vacationer, Deborah Freele who is currently in the West Park Hospital until Sunday. Freele tells reporters from her hospital bed that she woke seconds before the grizzly latched onto her arm and shoulder and screamed several times before it started to drag her out of the tent. She realized that she had to stop screaming in order to survive. She did the absolute right thing. She played dead. If she had not, the bear would have bit and shook her to death.
Mrs Freele should be released on Sunday as long as their are no signs of infection from the bear bites to her arm and shoulder.
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The 3rd victim, Ronald Singer, of Alamosa, Co, fended off the bear who was at that time biting his leg by punching him until he went away. Singer was treated and released Thursday.
All victims where sleeping in tents. Soda Butte was immediately evacuated and nearby campgrounds were also closed until the grizzly was caught. Freels husband then drove to the hospital to see his wife.
Almost 2 years ago to this day a grizzly attacked another man who was also sleeping in a tent in Soda Butte campground. He survived the attack with only bites to his hand and several claw marks.
Here are my thoughts:
When an animal, wild or otherwise, attacks without provocation it should be determined that the animal is dangerous and should be removed to protect the public from further deaths or incident. It is not know why the grizzly attacked the sleeping campers.
Uncommon to the general consensus grizzlies do not actively look for trouble and avoid encounters with people at all cost, but at the same time, they are always looking for food. Bears are commonly refered to as meat eaters but in fact, bears mostly rely on vegetation such as grasses, roots and berries for substance. Hunting for meat consists of scavenging dead rotting carcasses or capturing and killing ”easy prey” such as rodents, a new born elk calf or livestock.
With that being said, this predatory act of this particular grizzly was not usual in the least. She could have been scouring for food as she had 3 cubs to teach and feed and to her, sleeping campers could have been ‘easy prey’.
The campsite was most likely one of the grizzlies usual food stops. It could be possible that the bear smelled food on or around the tent of the first victim. The man from Michigan may have woken and tried to run. At that time the grizzlies predatory instincts would have kicked in killing the man and dragging him away for later. Still if the bear was searching for food left by the campers it wouldn’t have attacked and drug the other sleeping campers from their tents. Unless, it had determined that people where easy prey.
You won’t find me sleeping in a tent in grizzly country. Even if I’m armed with my bear spray, gun and big bad dog you will find me sleeping in my car with doors locked and keys in the ignition. When your woken up in the middle of the night with a grizzly breathing down your neck like the 3 campers from Soda Butte, there is not much time to think or react. Better safe then sorry in grizzly country. Be prepared for anything in the wild, be it Yellowstone National Park or anywhere in rugged country that we all so love.
Remember happy campers, animals in the Yellowstone and surrounding region are wild and unpredictable creatures. Always take precaution and stay alert when venturing out.
Please read Bear Attacks Are Rare But They Do Happen for some ideas of what to do when in grizzly country, why grizzlies attack and what to do if one does.
The grizzly bear that attacked the 3 campers in Soda Butte campground in Montana early Wednesday morning has been euthanized. Her 3 cubs have been rounded up and will be sent to Zoo Montana.
Cody resident Laura Brown, original founder of Laptops For The Wounded wrote this comment on an article written by Boston.com please read the comment at the site:
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