Rangers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are investigating a hiker's report that he was bitten by a black bear while he slept along the Appalachian Trail.
Bradley Veeder, 49, Las Vegas, was asleep in a tent when he says a bear bit through the tent and into his lower leg. This happened on Tuesday, May 10 at 11:16 a.m.
The bear was scared away before Veeder or other backpackers got a chance to see it.
After the attack, Veeder and the other hikers gathered at a shelter for the rest of the night. During that time, the bear came back and tore through Veeder's tent and another empty tent.
Veeder was taken out of the backcountry by horseback and then went to Blount Memorial Hospital by ambulance at 3:45 p.m. the next day.
Park officials urge everyone to exercise caution while hiking, camping, and picnicking to ensure their personal safety and to protect bears. Black bears in the park are wild and unpredictable. Though rare, attacks on humans do occur, causing injuries or death.
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