Boy Scouts are told to “be prepared,” but a 12-year-old boy couldn’t be prepared to wake up and find his leg in a bear’s jaws.
The bear was near a Boy Scouts campsite Harriman State Park found in Rockland and Orange counties. According to NBC New York, the bear “jolted” toward everyone and eventually made its way to a sleeping Henry Ayers.
“It moved my friend John, and then it moved me — but instead of grabbing my sleeping bag it grabbed my leg and it bit me,” Ayers said.
Ayers wasn’t seriously injured but has scratches on his leg.
“It was absolutely crazy!” he added. “I mainly sat up and I screamed! There was a giant bear leaning right over me. I screamed and I kicked at it and it wandered back a little.”
The Scouts moved to a nearby shelter. Though, the bear came back hours later still looking for some food. They reportedly found a way to keep their food out of reach from the bear.
Scout Master Diana Nicols recalled the second encounter with the bear.
“A little after 4 in the morning was the final time it came and I thought to take out my phone and take a video of it and I was trying to reach,” Nicols said. “It was very close to reaching another hiker’s bear bag.”
Park officials later found the bear and euthanize it, as the Scouts went on with their scheduled hike the following day.
“I wish they didn’t euthanize it,” Ayers said. “It associated us with food. But we know that was our fault not the bear’s fault. It was just you know, being a bear.”
“I am not scared of camping anymore! And I’m not scared of bears, its completely OK,” he added.
Read more via NBC New York.
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