The rugged hills of northern Arkansas, usually a haven for campers and hikers, have been thrust into the spotlight after a rare and tragic event: a suspected fatal bear attack at Sam’s Throne Campground near Mt. Judea. The incident, which unfolded in early October 2025, has left authorities and the local community on edge, prompting renewed attention to bear safety and the unpredictable behavior of wildlife in the Ozarks.
According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the story began on October 2, when deputies responded to a welfare check at Sam’s Throne Campground. The call came from a concerned son in Springfield, Missouri, who hadn’t heard from his 60-year-old father for several days. The man, an experienced solo camper, had recently sent his family photographs of a young bear wandering through his campsite—a detail that would soon take on chilling significance.
When deputies arrived at the remote site, they found the man’s truck and a campsite that painted a grim picture. "The campsite had been disturbed and there was evidence of a struggle and injury," the sheriff’s department confirmed in an official statement, as reported by multiple outlets including ABC News and NBC News. Most alarmingly, there were drag marks leading from the campsite into the dense woods. After a search of the area, authorities discovered the man’s body several yards from the tent, bearing extensive injuries "consistent with those expected from a large carnivore attack."
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler, who has been at the forefront of the investigation, addressed the public’s concerns directly. "Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can’t 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it," Wheeler told reporters. By October 5, the Arkansas State Crime Lab had officially ruled the cause of death as "animal mauling," with the manner of death deemed accidental. Still, Wheeler emphasized that DNA testing was underway to confirm the animal’s species, explaining, "I also understand their desire to confirm the species of animal via DNA just to cover all our bases."
Authorities believe the culprit is a juvenile male black bear, likely weaned and separated from its mother earlier in the year. The victim’s own photographs, sent just days before his death, depicted a young bruin—an image that now helps guide the ongoing search. "There is a lot of speculation circulating about the bear and I can say that the one believed to have attacked the man was not a large bear," Wheeler clarified. "We believe it to be a juvenile male that was likely weaned and kicked off its mother this year." The bear, estimated to weigh between 100 and 125 pounds, is thought to be unusually habituated to humans, a trait that experts warn can lead to unpredictable and dangerous encounters.
Efforts to locate the bear have mobilized a coalition of agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and local authorities. Box traps and snare traps have been deployed throughout the area, and cameras set up to monitor for the bear matching the victim’s photos. Local hunters and their dogs have also joined the search, though Sheriff Wheeler acknowledged the challenge: "No matter how much human food and trash and bait there is, when our local acorns start dropping from the trees, they shut off visiting human food. They fatten up on acorns because that’s their natural preferred food. And when they start falling, it makes baiting them very difficult. And our acorns have just started falling."
The search is not just about public safety—it’s also about science. If the suspected bear is captured, it will be euthanized and tested for abnormalities and for a DNA match to the victim. Wheeler explained, "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." He also noted that identifying markings on the bear would help ensure that only the responsible animal is taken, adding, "Within a fair degree of certainty, we will be able to tell if a bear is not the one responsible and allow it to go on its way."
In the meantime, Sam’s Throne Campground and the surrounding recreation area remain closed, with the U.S. Forest Service extending the closure through at least the end of October. Officials urge residents and campers to remain vigilant and to follow strict bear safety practices. Sheriff Wheeler’s advice is direct: "If you are camping anywhere in the area, be sure to follow bear safety measures. Keep your food away from your sleeping area and secured, don’t feed or approach bears—even small ones—carry bear protection such as bear spray or a firearm." He added a stark warning: "History tells us that once a bear becomes predatory, it often continues those behaviors."
The tragedy marks a deeply unusual event in Arkansas. If confirmed, it would be the second fatal bear attack in the state within a month. In early September 2025, a 72-year-old man in Franklin County, about 90 miles west of Sam’s Throne, died after being mauled by a black bear while working on a tractor. Before these recent incidents, Arkansas had not recorded a fatal bear mauling since 1982, according to the Arkansas Times. With an estimated population of more than 5,000 black bears—the state’s only bear species—such attacks are exceedingly rare. The American black bear is considered the least aggressive of North America’s bear species, with fewer than one fatal attack per year across the continent, the World Animal Foundation notes.
The timing of the incident is especially sensitive, as bear hunting season had just begun in Newton County on September 17, 2025. Local authorities are keen to avoid panic or indiscriminate hunting. "I don’t want this to become open season on any bear that someone may see, as most bears fear humans and run away," Sheriff Wheeler cautioned. "But, at the same time, don’t put yourself or others in jeopardy."
The victim’s name has not been released, pending notification of next of kin. As the investigation continues, officials say they will update the public as new information emerges. For now, the hills of the Ozarks are quieter than usual, with the shadow of this rare tragedy lingering over the community and a renewed respect for the unpredictable power of nature.
