Bears have been problematic in a few areas this summer and on August 25, an employee at Clearwater Lodge on the Gunflint Trail was forced to shoot an overly aggressive bear. The lodge contacted Cook County Law Enforcement the next day and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Mary Manning answered the call. CO Manning said the lodge was well within its rights to shoot the bear as it was endangering people.
CO Manning said the bear had broken into three different buildings over a period of a few days, including buildings with people inside. The bear also broke into a storage building with no source of food. “It was a dangerous animal,” said Manning.
Manning said it is legal to kill a bear to protect people or if it is causing significant property damage. “You are not allowed to shoot a bear if it is getting into your bird feeders or garbage,” she stressed. “But if it is trying to get inside your house, yes, you can kill it.”
Although this bear was an exception, Manning said that most bear problems can be resolved by making sure sources of food are secured. She encouraged property owners to contact the DNR if they have a bear visiting them. Manning said the DNR may have tips on how to avoid problems—to hopefully avoid having to shoot a bear.
If people do shoot a bear, Manning said they should contact the DNR as soon as possible, within 48 hours maximum. There are people on a list who will take a bear for meat. “Sooner is always better,” said Manning.
Asked if this is the bear that was bothering campers at Clearwater Lake at the beginning of August—causing the U.S. Forest Service to temporarily close the campground—Manning said there is no way to be sure.
But the bothersome bears—at Caribou Lake in Lutsen and Kimball and Clearwater lakes in Grand Marais—seem to have moved on. Manning said she wasn’t aware of any current bear problems. She noted, “The berry harvest is quite good now, so they may not be as hungry.”
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