COMSTOCK, Wis. — A 69-year-old woman was attacked by a black bear in her backyard near the town of Comstock in Barron County this weekend, prompting an ongoing search for the animal.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating the attack, which was reported around 2 p.m. Saturday, July 12.
Officers from Barron County and the city of Cumberland initially responded to the 911 call and encountered the bear in the woman’s backyard. One officer fired three rounds at the animal before it retreated behind large trees, according to a release from the Cumberland Police Department.
WATCH: Officers respond to bear attack in Wisconsin
After securing the area, officers located fresh blood on the grass and a tree where the bear had been standing. They found blood trails but couldn’t determine a clear direction of travel for the injured bear.
DNR wardens and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services were called to assist with the search and evidence collection, including blood samples. Despite using a trained bear hound dog, the search was unsuccessful, according to the DNR.
Investigators found an old clothesline wooden post with blood marks, which they determined was where the attack occurred. They also discovered “small fatty-like chunks” in the mowed grass, believed to be from the victim.
A bear cub was spotted in trees near the attack site, which the DNR says suggests that the female bear may have been protecting her young.
According to police, the woman injured in the attack suffered deep lacerations near her trachea and was taken to a hospital. Police said hospital staff advised them not to attempt to speak with her due to her injuries.
The DNR has set several bear traps at the scene and plans to euthanize the bear when captured to assess its condition.
It is unknown why the attack occurred. DNR wardens continue to investigate the incident to learn more details and a possible cause.
According to the DNR, incidents of black bears attacking or killing humans are very rare but do occur both in Wisconsin and across the country. The DNR says there are an estimated 24,000 bears in Wisconsin.
However, the DNR says no human fatalities have resulted from encounters with wild black bears in recorded Wisconsin history.
Black bears are generally secretive, not aggressive, and tend to avoid humans as much as possible. But bears are sometimes known to be aggressive if cubs are present and feel threatened, according to the DNR.
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