Cook County News Herald

Watch out for bears when picking blueberries



A Red Lake, Ontario, Canadian man was apparently killed by a black bear while picking blueberries, reports the Thunder Bay Chronicle.

Authorities were called when 67-year-old Peter Franczak didn’t return home from berry picking on Monday, July 20.

Police say that when Franczak’s body was found, the officers killed a black bear near the vicinity.

A post-mortem examination determined that a bear had killed Fanczak.

In 2019, a Minnesota woman was killed by a black bear while looking for her dogs on Red Pine Island, Rainy Lake, Canada.

During the last 120 years, sixty-one people in North America have been killed by black bears.

Bear attacks on humans are exceptionally rare, but if you do run across an aggressive bruin, experts say pepper spray will ward an aggressive bear away, and throwing rocks at it will also send it running.

When berry picking, it’s also wise to pick with someone else. Two sets of eyes are better than one. And besides, when you are done filling your buckets, there will be twice as many berries for pies!

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