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Wildlife officials are trying to find and euthanize a black bear which they said severely injured a woman in northwest Wisconsin on Saturday.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said the bear wounded a 69-year-old woman near Comstock in Barron County on Saturday afternoon. Authorities said the woman was seriously injured but was able to call 911. An update on her condition was not available on Monday.
When state and federal wildlife officials arrived at the scene on Saturday, they began trying to track the bear. They found a bear cub in a nearby tree, and officials said the bear involved in the incident was likely the mother of that cub.
Authorities said the search to find the bear continues, and they have set several bear traps in the area.
“The goal is to euthanize the bear and assess its condition,” the Wisconsin DNR said in a news release. “It is unknown why the attack occurred. DNR wardens continue to investigate the incident to learn more details and a possible cause.”
In Minnesota, Andrew Tri — bear project leader with the DNR — said he was surprised to hear about what happened in northwest Wisconsin, because incidents of black bears injuring humans are extremely rare.
He offered this advice to people spending time outdoors in bear habitat.
“When you’re out and about, it’s basically the buddy system,” Tri said. “Stay alert, keep together. Don’t leave any trash or food scraps out. Keep a clean camp. Keep your dogs on a leash. Don’t store food trash — anything that might smell good to a bear — in your tent. Put it in a locked vehicle.”
The Minnesota DNR offers additional tips on its website, on how to handle encounters with bears.
The Wisconsin DNR said incidents of black bears attacking humans are very rare, but have occurred in Wisconsin and across the country. Officials said there has not been a fatal wild black bear encounter in Wisconsin in recorded history.
In May 2023, a black bear seriously injured a woman at a cabin near Gull Lake in central Minnesota.
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