Tag Archives: Young

Bear claws camper near Cherry Creek in Young

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PHOENIX — A man in his 20s was injured early this morning when a bear scratched him through his sleeping bag in a dispersed camping area near Cherry Creek in Young, Ariz.

The bear was investigating the man’s camp and was thought to have injured the man when the animal pawed at the sleeping bag. Bear spray was used and the animal retreated.

The man was seen at a local hospital and released.

Based on the injuries and description, Arizona Game and Fish Department officers believe the bear was small and possibly young.

The camp area is used by the Anasazi Foundation as part of its program. After the incident, other campers and Anasazi members advised Game and Fish officers that several bears had been seen in the campground area over the Memorial Day weekend. At least three different bears were identified by the campers as coming into camp and raiding food sources, and not fully retreating when bear spray was used. Campers did not notify officials of this bear activity, vacate the area or remove the food sources after the sightings.

Arizona Game and Fish has a highly-trained team investigating the situation and will set traps in the vicinity to attempt to capture the offending bears. The department also will work with the Tonto National Forest on possible area closures.

If the offending bear(s) is captured, it will be lethally removed because of the habituated behavior it demonstrated and the public safety threat it poses.

The department asks that any nuisance bear activity be immediately reported to Game and Fish or local officials and recommends that all campers take a few simple precautions to protect both people and bears, including securing all potential food sources. Campsite food sources can include uncleaned BBQs, used plates, discarded wrappers, food stores and pet food. Bears have a very keen sense of smell – approximately seven times better than a bloodhound and 100 times better than a human.

Take these immediate steps to minimize bear encounters and keep wildlife wild:

•    Keep a clean camp. Store food items and trash away from your tent or sleeping area. Even an empty food wrapper can attract a bear from a long distance.
•    Wash up before going to bed to eliminate odors.
•    Put food waste and garbage in a secure location such as a bear-proof dumpster.
•    Carry bear spray.
•    Encourage others to take these precautions. Discouraging bears from a campground requires everyone do their part.

If you encounter a bear, try to scare the bear away by making yourself look as large as possible, making loud noises and throwing objects towards it. Do not run. In the rare event of a black bear attack, fight back aggressively and use bear spray.

Arizona has had one fatal bear attack, which occurred in Pinetop in 2011. However, there are numerous reports each year of bears in close proximity to humans that could lead to serious injury or even death.

For more information or questions on living with bears and keeping wildlife wild, visit the department’s website at www.azgfd.gov/urbanwildlife.

Survival Rendezvous to be held in Young, Arizona this weekend

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Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it’s supposed to do. — Robert A. Heinlein

YOUNG, AZ – An event known as the Survivalist Rendezvous will be held in Young, Arizona from Saturday, November 8 to Tuesday November 11. The event will host classes running the gamut in survival skills from food preparation and storage, to electrical survival, to firearms training, to musical instruments.

The theme is based on a quote from Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein:

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

Samples of the classes include long range rifle and other firearms classes. How to make knives and metalsmithing. There will be classes on wild medicinal plants, emergency medicine and even acupuncture.

The Appleseed Project will be holding a course on marksmanship, but is limited to eight people. Nathan will also be conducting a long-range precision rifle course lecture with a possibility of a shoot at the range.

There will also be standard preparedness courses such as amateur radio, land navigation and grappling and wrestling.

The event does not just go into survival skill you know of, but also things you may not have thought of. The event will feature a course on the mindset for survival. Another teaches about living in a third world environment by Dave Megahey who was the son of missionaries in Africa.

There is a course on flute making and basic guitar instruction for entertainment.

In a telephone interview organizer Nathan Charlton said that this is the first such event he has organized and is excited to have instructors such as Peter Bigfoot respond. There will also be some vendors.

The courses will be held at the community center in Young and the Deadbroke Inn. The event will conclude with on Veteran’s Day with a flag raising, a Veteran’s Benefit Breakfast and a lecture on Vietnam Special Forces by Dave Megahey. There will also be a dance Monday night.

The only lodging for the event is the Deadbroke Inn, but organizer Nathan Charlton said that there will be accommodations for RVs and camping.

The camping environment can be used as a survival skill. With cooler weather moving into Arizona, one can set up their survival camp and make a note of what items they are missing or what items are too cumbersome to take along in a bug-out situation. Families or groups can determine who should be responsible for carrying items for an emergency situation.