Every spring, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers receive calls reporting “nuisance bears.” Bears are attracted to garbage left outside, to low hanging bird feeders or to barbecue grills with food remnants. Sometimes homeowners take matters into their own hands and shoot the offending bear—something that occurred last week, according to DNR Conservation Officer Mary Manning.
CO Manning said she received a call of a bear found dead on a trail just off of County Road 6 in Grand Marais. Investigation revealed it had been shot, but Manning said it was not clear if it was shot in the vicinity or had been shot farther away and dumped at the site.
No matter where it was shot, Manning said it was illegal. She said neither she nor the other conservation officers in Cook County had been contacted about the shooting of a nuisance bear. Manning asks anyone who may have information about a bear being shot out of season to contact her at (218) 475-0121.
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