Deputy kills bear he found scavenging body of motorcyclist killed on Tail of the Dragon
A Blount County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a black bear that had been scavenging the body of a motorcyclist who died in a crash along the stretch of road known as the Tail of the Dragon.
The deputy was attempting to retrieve the body when he encountered the bear on Sept. 20, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesperson Matthew Cameron said in an email. The bear - an adult male between 150 and 175 pounds - was about 30 yards away when the deputy spotted it.
"It was evident the bear had been scavenging the remains of the body," Cameron said, citing a report from the incident.
The deputy first attempted to haze the bear, which refers to tactics used to scare it away.
When his attempts at hazing were unsuccessful, the deputy went to retrieve his duty rifle before again attempting to use hazing tactics to force the bear to leave. The bear became defensive and approached the deputy, and the deputy shot and killed the animal.
Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Deputy kills bear scavenging body of motorcyclist along Tail of the Dragon
