CABLE, Wis. (WBAY) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that a bear with its head stuck in a jar was successfully freed this weekend by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services staff near Cable, WI.
The DNR and USDA Wildlife Services staff first heard of a bear with a plastic jar stuck on its head in north central Sawyer County on July 26. Since the bear was first observed, it moved nearly 50 miles and was reported multiple times across northern Sawyer County and southern Bayfield and Douglas counties.
Bear With Plastic Jar On Its Head
Freed In Northern Wisconsin(USDA Wildlife Services)
After over a week of monitoring and trapping efforts, several public reports of the bear over the weekend (Aug. 2-3) indicated it was likely returning to the area where it was first witnessed.
On Sunday, a trained wildlife professional responded to a timely report of the bear at a private residence and was able to safely dart the bear with an immobilization drug.
Once the bear was sedated, USDA Wildlife Services staff were able to cut off the jug and examine the bear for injuries.
Bear With Plastic Jar On Its Head
Freed In Northern Wisconsin(USDA Wildlife Services)
No lacerations or additional injuries were noted, and the approximately 70-pound, 2-year-old sow (female bear) was relocated to a safe, wooded area with ample food and water to allow the bear to recover. The bear was alert when released and quickly began feeding on a patch of berries nearby.
“We do not know how long the jug was on the bear’s head, but it was a little skinny when captured. There were punctures in the jug – likely from the bear’s claws – and a public observation indicated that it was able to drink by dunking its head in water,” said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist. “The bear was likely surviving on body fat reserves (which can be significant in bears by midsummer). A bear of that age and sex normally averages between 100-150 pounds this time of year.”
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