Victim Identified, Fate Of Bear And Cub Updated From Rare Wisconsin Attack

The Department of Natural Resources is continuing its investigation of a bear attack that happened recently in Wisconsin, leaving a woman with severe injuries.

According to the DNR, around 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, 69-year-old Karen Frye was attacked by a black bear while outside at her rural residence near the town of Comstock, which is located in Barron County.

Officers from Barron County and the city of Cumberland initially responded to the 911 call, which was made by the victim. Local DNR wardens and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services staff also responded to the incident.

Upon arrival, they began looking for the bear, and at that time, they located a cub in a tree, indicating this involved a sow, which is an adult female bear, and a cub.

That's worth noting because, while black bears are generally secretive, not aggressive, and tend to avoid humans as much as possible, they are sometimes known to be aggressive if cubs are present and feel threatened.

However, the DNR stresses that the exact reason the attack occurred is currently unknown, and DNR wardens are continuing to investigate the incident and locate the bear involved, to learn more details and a possible cause.

Update Provided On Investigation, As Well As Fate Of Bear & Cub If Caught

On Monday, July 14, the DNR provided an update on its investigation, which included the encouraging news that Karen Frye, who had since been transferred to a second hospital, was recovering and was currently in stable condition.

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Although the investigation is ongoing, its preliminary findings, including information coming from the family, suggest the bear exhibited a sustained series of aggressive behaviors towards the victim.

The DNR reiterates that black bears can behave defensively when feeling surprised, cornered, or to protect their food or cubs. True aggressive behavior is both rare and distinctive from defensive behavior.

Unfortunately, black bears displaying aggressive behavior are at an elevated risk of repeating the behavior. While the investigation continues, the priority for authorities is human safety, and therefore, the goal is to capture and humanely euthanize the bear involved.

"Humane euthanasia is not always the standard practice in human/bear conflicts. Our actions in these types of situations are very carefully determined based upon the totality of the known evidence of each event," said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist.

"Although we're still working to piece together every element of what transpired in this incident, we know enough to warrant attempting to live-trap at the location of the incident and humanely euthanize this bear if captured."

Several bear traps have been set at the scene, with efforts to live capture the bear focused near the site of the incident. As of Monday afternoon, the bear involved has not yet been captured, nor has its cub been captured.

Initial trapping efforts captured a male black bear, which the DNR promptly released. Efforts to capture the bear involved in this incident are ongoing

If captured, the sow (female bear) involved will be assessed once euthanized, including conducting a rabies test to determine whether injury or illness may have contributed to the bear’s behavior and to help assess rabies exposure and risk to the victim per standard human health protocols. 

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If the cub is captured, it will be relocated and released into the wild. The DNR says that by this time of year, cubs can survive on their own, and this cub will likely have a better opportunity to thrive in the wild without human intervention. Any other bears captured will be released unharmed.

Best Practices To Avoid Bear Conflicts

Wisconsin is home to an estimated 24,000 bears, and while very rare, there have been reports of bear attacks in the state. To date, there have been no reports of human fatalities resulting from encounters with wild black bears in Wisconsin.

However, it's still important to take action to avoid potential bear conflicts, and the DNR encourages residents to follow these tips to stay safe should they encounter a bear.

Minimize food attractants around your residence or camps.

• Bird feeders should be only used in the wintertime or brought in at night and made inaccessible to bears. Deter bears by hanging feeders 10 feet from the ground and five feet out from any surface. If a bear does find the feeder, remove it immediately.
• Keep garbage cans secured, clean, and inside sheds if possible. Do not leave loose garbage around.
• Do not leave pet food outside.
• Keep grills clean and secure.

If you encounter a bear in your yard or around your home:

• Place yourself in a secure area so the bear has a clear escape path.
• Make a lot of noise by yelling, honking a car horn, or banging pots and pans.
• Consider installing motion-activated water sprinklers, lights, or alarms.

If you encounter a bear while hiking, hunting, or camping:

• Never approach a bear.
• Do not run.
• Do not lie down or play dead.
• Talk to the bear or start shouting if it doesn’t leave.
• Raise your arms above your head and wave them to appear larger than you are.
• Slowly back away and don’t turn your back on the bear.
• Always leave an escape route for the bear.
• Fight back if attacked.

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