Your #1 source for blades and firearms news and updates…

  • Home
  • Knives
  • News
  • Hunting
  • Tactical
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Subscribe
Font ResizerAa
Blade ShopperBlade Shopper
  • News
  • Knives
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Tactical
  • Hunting
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
  • Knives
  • News
  • Hunting
  • Tactical
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
banner
Create an Amazing Newspaper
Discover thousands of options, easy to customize layouts, one-click to import demo and much more.
Learn More

Stay Updated

Get the latest headlines, discounts for the military community, and guides to maximizing your benefits
Subscribe

Explore

  • Photo of The Day
  • Opinion
  • Today's Epaper
  • Trending News
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Special Deals
Home » Grandfather Mauled by Black Bear in ‘Unheard of’ Attack Has Died, Arkansas Officials Confirm

Grandfather Mauled by Black Bear in ‘Unheard of’ Attack Has Died, Arkansas Officials Confirm

Adam Green By Adam Green September 16, 2025 3 Min Read
Share
Grandfather Mauled by Black Bear in ‘Unheard of’ Attack Has Died, Arkansas Officials Confirm

Sign up for the Outdoor Life Newsletter

Get the hottest outdoor news—plus a free month of onX Hunt Elite.

Officials with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission say the man who was attacked by a black bear in Franklin County on Sept. 3 has died. The 72-year-old man, identified as Vernon Patton, passed away in the hospital Sunday as a result of his injuries, according to AGFC chief of communications Keith Stephens, who confirmed Patton’s passing with local news outlets on Monday.

“It was a pretty severe attack,” Stephens told the Arkansas Times. “It attacked him on his face, his arms, his upper body.” 

The tragic update followed a public statement from Patton’s family the week prior. On Sept. 10, they said he was still in intensive care but unlikely to survive. The family also asked for privacy as they worked through an extraordinarily difficult time.

“Our beloved father, grandfather, husband and hero, Vernon Patton, was seriously injured in a bear attack while doing what he loved, working on his land with his family,” their statement from last week read. “Vernon is currently being cared for in the ICU in Little Rock. While he remains in stable condition, his injuries are extensive and ultimately not survivable.”

As reported previously by OL, Patton was working on his tractor on the side of a gravel road in the Mulberry Mountain area when the black bear attacked him on Sept. 3. His son witnessed the attack and was able to get the bear off him. First responders airlifted the 72-year-old to a hospital in Fayetteville, and from there he was transferred to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Stephens said at the time that the bear weighed around 70 to 80 pounds and was likely a yearling. AGFC officers responded that same day to the Mulberry Mountain area, where they quickly located the bear and killed it. Wildlife officials then took the carcass to a lab for a necropsy; they confirmed on Sept. 8 that the bear had tested negative for rabies and distemper. 

Read Next: Days Before Florida Considers a Bear Hunt, the State Suffers Its First Fatal Black Bear Attack 

Another AGFC communications official, Trey Reid, called the unprovoked attack “unheard of” in an interview with reporters soon after the incident took place. Reid said he’d never heard of a black bear attacking a human in Arkansas during his 20 years with the agency, and that it was the first such attack to occur in the state in at least 25 years.

Read the full article here

Share This Article
Facebook X Copy Link Print
Previous Article “Gaza Is On Fire,” And Israel Must Prepare To Be Isolated “Gaza Is On Fire,” And Israel Must Prepare To Be Isolated
Next Article Charlie Kirk Psyop Continues: Divide And Conquer Charlie Kirk Psyop Continues: Divide And Conquer
Leave a Comment Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Wake up with our popular morning roundup of the day's top blades, firearms and survavial news and updates.

19th-Century Skills We’ll Need Again Soon

October 8, 2025

Registration Opening Soon for the 2026 Advanced Maintenance Class

October 8, 2025

The 16 Best Prime Day Knife Deals: Folders, Fixed Blades, and USA-Made

October 8, 2025

Female Store Worker Fires Warning Shots, Disarms Armed Man Who Threatened to Kill Shopper

October 7, 2025

Trump Is Threatening To Bomb Iran Again, But Israel May Beat Him To It

October 7, 2025

You Might Also Like

Canadian Cyclist Punches Attacking Grizzly Bear in the Face

Canadian Cyclist Punches Attacking Grizzly Bear in the Face

Hunting
The World’s Biggest (and Richest) Rhino Savior Was Just Arrested for Trafficking Their Horns

The World’s Biggest (and Richest) Rhino Savior Was Just Arrested for Trafficking Their Horns

Hunting
APEX Ammunition Congratulates Brad Fenson on World Turkey Slam

APEX Ammunition Congratulates Brad Fenson on World Turkey Slam

Hunting
This Is the Best Moultrie Trail Camera—And It’s 45% Off Right Now

This Is the Best Moultrie Trail Camera—And It’s 45% Off Right Now

Hunting

2025 © Blade Shopper. All rights reserved.

Helpful Links

  • News
  • Knives
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Tactical
  • Hunting
  • Videos

Resources

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Press Release
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Popuplar

16 Types of Military Helicopters Used By The US Military
Bournemouth Air Festival: The UK’s Largest Air Festival
19th-Century Skills We’ll Need Again Soon
We provide daily defense news, benefits information, veteran employment resources, spouse and family resources.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?