Multiple black bear sightings reported near Oakdale
OAKDALE, Minn. -- People living near the Oakdale City Hall are on the lookout for a black bear.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office says they've gotten multiple reports of a sighting near the Stillwater Boulevard and Interstate 694 area.
The Department of Natural Resources responded to the area on Monday night, and the state patrol sent a helicopter, but no bear was found. It was last seen near 15th Street and Gershwin Avenue. Police stopped searching for the bear after it entered a wooded area around 9 p.m.
"It's very strange and a little unsettling," resident Maxie Rosenbloom said. "I mean, I know they're typically harmless but ... it's still a bear."
Since Monday night, the Oakdale Police says they have not received any more reports of bear sightings.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says Minnesota's black bear range has been slowly expanding southward and westward.
The DNR says black bears are rarely aggressive. although black bears are usually shy, both DNR and the city of Oakdale are reminding everyone of what to do if a bear approaches you:
- Talk to it in a firm voice.
- Back away while keeping an eye on the bear.
- Don't run.
- If it still follows you, yell, raise your arms and throw things at it.
- The more attention a bear gives you, the more aggressive you should be.
For more information about living with bears in Minnesota, click here.
