The October 2024 Fatal Bear Attack On Baranof Island

View pictures and Support us at Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=73787379
Related Videos:

Connect with Addicus:
Find us on Twitter at ScaryBearAttax
Connect on TikTok with us at scarybearattacks
Connect on Instagram with us at ScaryBearAttack
In the last week of October 2024, 50-year-old Tad Fujioka had planned a solo blacktail deer excursion on Baranoff Island. He grew up in Juneau before going off to Cal Tech for college. Tad was a smart man and earned an engineering degree before taking a job with the city of Sitka. He was a seasoned outdoorsman, hunter, and respected figure in the fishing community of Sitka, Alaska. As chairman of the board of the Seafood Producers Cooperative, Fujioka was well-known and highly regarded for his contributions to the industry.

On October 27, 2024, Tad set out alone on a hunting trip to Baranof Island, seeking to harvest a Sitka black-tailed deer. Confident in his skills and familiarity with the land, Tad was equipped for the hunt and aware of the risks that come with venturing into bear country.

While on the hunt Tad had some success as one of his stalks had led to him successfully harvesting a deer. He knew he was in brown bear country and the less amount of time he could spend over the carcass the better. After gutting the deer Tad pulled off half of the carcass and packed it back to his camp before nightfall began to set in. He knew better than to traipse around the woods toward twilight so he decided the half of the deer would have to wait until morning.

After a good night’s rest Tad woke up and gathered his equipment to retrieve the other half of the deer carcass. After a brief hike, he arrived near the cache site.

On October 29, Fujioka was reported overdue after failing to return from his hunting trip. Tad was an organized kind of guy, though hunting alone carries more risks than hunting with partners. He had let friends and family know where he was going to be hunting but hadn’t returned by the scheduled time, fostering a broadening concern. Calling in to report him missing set off a buzz of activity with Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the U.S. Coast Guard quickly initiating a land search near his last known location in the remote forests of Baranof Island.

Upon arriving at the island, searchers planned out a search and hoped to locate him very soon. They covered the ground with searchers while helicopters flew over the area looking for clues. As helicopters surveyed the area, they observed a sow brown bear with two cubs and noted their location on their search grid.

At approximately 11:30 a.m. the next day, search teams located Fujioka’s remains. Evidence at the scene suggested that he had successfully hunted a deer, attracting a bear, which then turned defensive, likely perceiving Fujioka as a threat to its food source. Authorities speculated that the bear involved was possibly a sow with cubs, increasing the likelihood of an aggressive response.

After Tad’s corpse was recovered wildlife officials convened and decided that the bear's actions were defensive in nature. They believed the sow and cubs seen previously by the helicopter searchers had claimed the unguarded half of Tad’s deer carcass and when he returned the bears attacked and killed him. His corpse was not cached meaning that the bears didn’t display any intention of consuming him. The officers labeled Tad’s fatal mauling a defensive attack and indicated they would not pursue the sow and her cubs. They also pointed out that the search efforts drove the bears away from the attack site and locating them would be much more difficult.

The news of Tad Fujioka’s tragic death deeply impacted the Sitka community, where he was known not only as a skilled fisherman but also as a friend and community leader. The bear attack has prompted discussions about the dangers of solo hunting trips and the importance of bear safety in Alaska’s wilderness. Fujioka’s dedication to the fishing industry, particularly his work in supporting local fishermen and sustainable practices, has left a lasting legacy.

Alaska is home to approximately 30,000 brown bears, making it one of the highest bear-populated regions globally. Baranof Island, with its rich natural resources, supports a significant number of these bears. Brown bears are most active from early spring through late fall, with encounters more common during late summer and fall as bears intensify foraging for hibernation. While bear attacks are rare, they can happen suddenly, particularly when bears perceive a threat to food sources or young cubs. Speaking of cubs, our cub tier membership on Patreon, linked below will give you ad-free early access to our episodes and the $3 per month goes a long way in helping me continue to produce educational and entertaining content like this.