Remains of 50-year-old hunter suspected to be fatally mauled by bear found in Alaska
The remains of a 50-year-old man, suspected to have been fatally mauled in a bear attack, were recovered from a remote region in Alaska.
Tad Fujioka, 50, was reported overdue from a deer hunting trip in the Sitka area of Alaska, about 600 miles southeast of Anchorage, Tuesday evening, Alaska’s Department of Public Safety said in a news dispatch Wednesday. He was hunting alone in the remote area of Nakwasina Sound, department spokesperson Timothy DeSpain told Paste BN Thursday.
The next morning, multiple agencies including the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the United States Coast Guard "conducted land-based searches utilizing three search teams in the remote wooded area" where Fujioka’s boat had been located. Authorities found his deer kill site and his remains around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"Investigation revealed he was the likely victim of a fatal bear mauling," the news release said, adding the man's next of kin has been notified.
DeSpain said troopers and Alaska Department of Fish and Game "searched for the bears until daylight constraints ended the search" but were unable to locate them.
"The bears had consumed the deer and left the immediate area which is remote and difficult to access," he said, adding there were multiple brown bears that had been feeding on the deer carcass.
Staying safe in bear country
Alaska is home to three types of bears - black, brown, and polar - according to Alaska Fish and Game. The agency has listed detailed tips on how to remain safe while hunting in bear country. Top tips include:
- Keep your deterrent handy e.g. firearm or bow. Consider carrying a second deterrent such as bear spray and have it accessible.
- Stay calm: Face the bear, stand your ground, and talk to it calmly.
- Look big: Slowly raise your arms overhead so you appear larger. If your hunting partner is close by, stand side-by-side to make yourselves look larger.
- Don't run: Running may elicit a chase response.
- Stay alert
- Avoid leaving a blood trail back to your camp
- Immediately field dress a game animal after the kill and avoid opening the gut cavity until after you have salvaged all other edible meat if possible, to help limit odors.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.