Marcia Baker, Contributor

Bear Country — A man was mauled to death yesterday while hiking down a sunny dirt road deep in the heart of bear country when he accidentally stepped between a mother bear and her cubs.

The mother had been tending her vegetable garden while her cubs were playing tag with some local butterflies and frogs when Eric Clayton, 37, of Grove City, Pennsylvania, disturbed the clan.

The mother bear, who was reportedly wearing a polka-dotted house dress and cap, pounced on a stunned and confused Mr. Clayton, mauling him to death as her children looked on.

Reporters sent from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to question the Bear Country police department about the incident were also mauled.

It’s reported that Mama and Papa Bear (their legal names) have used the incident as a teaching moment with brother and sister bear about stranger danger.