Bear Attacks Scout At Philmont NM

Bear Attacks Scout At Philmont NM

Philmont Scout Ranch NM
Philmont Scout Ranch NM
New Mexico Game and Fish
New Mexico Game and Fish

RATON, NM –-(Ammoland.com)- A  employee killed a bear early Wednesday after it jumped on a tent and scratched and bit a camper, the Department of Game and Fish reported Wednesday.

Injuries to the 14-year-old scout include a bite to the hand and a deep scratch to the head. The scout was treated at Philmont and then transferred to Santa Fe for additional treatment.

The bear, 2 to 3-year-old, 150-pound male, was killed within two miles of a previous attack on a camper at Philmont, the Department said. There was no apparent cause for the attack, and officials are hopeful the dead bear is the same one that was involved in a previous incident.

Game and Fish wants to remind campers that food, pets, the clothing you cooked in, and toiletries all can attract the attention of bears and lead to a a bear encounter or, in extreme cases, an attack.

This is the second bear killed at Philmont this summer. An earlier bear was killed after it attacked and killed a goat.

The head of the dead bear will be transferred to Veterinary Diagnostic Services to be tested for rabies.

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