In yet another chilling story coming out of the Natural State, a 60-year-old man from Springfield, Missouri, was found dead last Thursday at Sam's Throne Campground in the Ozark National Forest in what authorities are ruling as strongly suspected to be a black bear attack. This marks the second such fatality in the state in just over a month, shattering decades of relative peace between humans and the region's growing black bear population.
The victim, whose name has not been publicly released pending full family notification, was camping alone at the remote site near Mt. Judea in Newton County. A few days earlier he had texted photos of a young black bear wandering near his tent to family members, seemingly unbothered by its presence. When he stopped responding, his son requested a welfare check. Deputies arrived to find his truck parked nearby, but the campsite revealed signs of a violent struggle, including disturbed gear, bear tracks, scat, and drag marks leading approximately 180 feet into the surrounding woods. The man's body was discovered nearby with extensive injuries consistent with a large carnivore attack, including deep lacerations.
An autopsy conducted by the Arkansas State Crime Lab on October 3 confirmed the cause of death as "animal mauling," with DNA testing still pending to definitively identify the species.
"Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can't 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it," Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said in a statement. "We are attempting to find the bear and dispose of it so the Game and Fish Commission can test it for anything that may have led to the encounter."
Wheeler described the case as "highly unusual," emphasizing that while black bears are common in the area, predatory attacks on humans are exceedingly rare. Officials believe the culprit is a juvenile male black bear, recently weaned from its mother, estimated to weigh 150-170 pounds based on the photos and tracks.
As of publication, a multi-agency effort continues to locate and euthanize the bear for testing. Involved parties include the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), and local hunters using bear dogs. Traps have been set, and a game camera recently captured an image of a bear near the site, though it's unclear if it's the same animal. The campground and surrounding areas remain closed indefinitely to ensure public safety.
"We are very early in the investigation and search and will update as we can. If you are in the area, just be aware and use caution, especially with children. History tells us that once a bear becomes predatory, it often continues those behaviors."
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another fatal bear encounter in Arkansas. Just last month, 72-year-old Vernon Patton of Ozark was mauled by a juvenile male black bear while working on a gravel road near Mulberry Mountain in Franklin County. Patton was operating a small tractor when the unprovoked attack occurred. His son arrived in time to scare the bear away by throwing rocks, but Patton sustained severe injuries to his upper body.
Air-lifted to medical facilities in Fayetteville and Little Rock, Patton underwent surgery but was eventually moved to hospice care in Springdale. He passed away on September 14th from injuries deemed "ultimately not survivable." AGFC wardens euthanized the bear at the scene, with tests ruling out rabies or distemper. The two incidents, about 80 miles apart, involve separate bears and show no direct link, but both highlight the apparent risks of solo activities in bear habitat.
Black bear attacks, especially fatal ones, are extraordinarily rare in Arkansas, home to an estimated 5,000 black bears concentrated in the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains. The state's bear population has rebounded from near-extinction in the mid-20th century through conservation efforts, leading to increased sightings and occasional nuisance encounters—but human attacks are almost nonexistent.
Prior to 2025, the last documented bear attack in Arkansas occurred in 2006, and the previous fatal incident dated back to 1892.
"I don’t even know how to put it into words, to tell you the truth. These things just don’t happen," Keith Stephens, the chief of communications for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. "It just seems so bizarre. It’s not even in my realm of comprehension. I’m really in shock today. Actually, when I was told about it, I thought they were kidding me just to give me a hard time from the last one. It’s obviously not a joking matter, but it just didn’t seem real."
