Former Marine Chris Everhart was camping with his three sons, ages 6 to 11, at Low Gap Creek Campgrounds near Helen, Georgia in the Chattahochee National Forest.
Around 9:30 in the evening, a (variously reported as 275 or 300 lb – 125 or 136 kg) female black bear invaded the Everhart campsite, attempting to make off with a food cooler. The overly adventuresome six-year-old Logan Everhart sprang to his family’s defense, seized a shovel and advanced on the bear trying to frighten off the dangerous predator. The bear responded by growling and advancing on the small boy.
Everhart’s knife and pistol were packed away and out of reach, so the desperate father simply grabbed the first weapon that came to hand: a large piece of firewood. Everhart flung the log, striking the bear in the head, fatally. Everhart’s score was one log, one bear.
Everhart was a hero to his sons, but not to the government. The Forest Service promptly gave him a $75 ticket for “failing to secure his campsite.”
Robin
Unbeliveable! What a stupid park ranger to ticket this family.
Randall Wall
I think that the park rangers ticketing this man and his family are an example of typical bad government.
This is like having a rapist break into your home with a knife, you shoot him in self defense and the police (who arrive 30 minutes after a 911 call) give you a ticket for an unregistered firearm……….Sheesh!
If I was the forest service I would hang my head in shame!
robert ring
The message is simple had the food not been there chances are either would the bear. we go to the forest , in there home what do you expect?
Marsha
I have no problem with the man being ticketed for not securing his campsite. If he had done so in the first place, the bear wouldn’t have ventured there and would be alive today.
Regina
He should have been ticketed. He should have talked to his child about potential bear encounters before they went to the woods. I have visited the mountains for years and I know that it is common knowledge there to secure your campsite. A bear is now dead because of irresponsible human behavior.
Carolyn
So the bear is LEAVING the campsite with the cooler and didn’t hurt anyone. So the stupid kid decides to throw a shovel at it. I wonder why the bear came back, well duh! So the bear would still be alive if not for the stupid kid! After I saw the bear LEAVING the campsite I would’ve LEFT the campsite and everyone would be alive.
Grey Fox
Black Bears are not usually aggressive. You can even mess with their cubs, and they will not usually attack, much unlike the Grizzly. Now, while black bears are much less likely to attack humans than are grizzlies, when they do attack it is usually because they are trying to eat the target. Now, it is quite possible that eating the child was not on the bear’s to-do list, but the fact it attacked at all is disturbing and indicates something out of the ordinary.
Cpl of marines
This is by far the latest post, but I came across this by accident. The fact of the matter is those of you who defend the ticketing of it make me sick. You think this ex-marine who defended nations against threats and who clearly used the least amount of force possible, not a gun, not even a knife, a piece of wood should be ticketed for defending his family? I was in scouts and I know to secure food, but the fact remains sometimes you forget things..oh well, if his kids died or better yet if one of you ignorant fools kids died I’m sure you would sing a different toon. Nothing more I can’t stand as a veteran then ignorant people.
Please Leave a Comment!