Has the Dexter bear left the building? DNR trap fails to make a catch as rumors swirl
The Dexter bear at night.
Benjamin Wheeler | For AnnArbor.com
It’s not hibernation season, but the Dexter bear appears to be growing more elusive since a string of sightings.
Only two observations have been reported to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources since Wednesday (one of them much closer to Ann Arbor), and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office has had no bear reports in the last week.
The DNR removed the live trap it had set near Mast Road on Thursday morning. The trap had been set for 7 days and only “a few small animals, including some raccoons” had wandered into the trap, according to Kristen Bissell, a local DNR wildlife biologist.
Brittney Abbott | Courtesy photo
A resident snapped this photo of the bear in Dexter off Mast Road.
A resident in the Barton Hills area, just north of Ann Arbor, reported seeing the bear Friday night and reported it to the DNR on Saturday.
The DNR was unable to confirm the sighting, and no other signs of the bear’s presence were recorded in the area immediately north of the Huron River near Barton Pond.
Meanwhile, the Dexter bear’s disappearance has sparked rumors in Dexter and online.
One story circulating in local bars and on “The Dexter Bear” Facebook page is that a local farmer shot a rumored “mama bear.” The DNR has not confirmed the presence of a second bear in the area.
For now, the DNR can only wait for more observations.
“It might just be moving into some areas where people aren’t seeing it or running into it as much. It could be people are seeing it and just not reporting it. Maybe it’s decided to go north, maybe it’s decided to go further south,” Bissell said. “We can conjecture all we want, but because we weren’t able to put a collar on it, we won’t know for sure.”
Ben Freed is a summer intern at AnnArbor.com. You can reach him by email at benfreed@annarbor.com or by phone at (734)-623-4674. Follow him on Twitter @BFreedInA2.
Comments
julieswhimsies
Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 1 a.m.
I'll have to ask him. He's following me on Twitter.
jwally
Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.
Smaaaaarrter than the av-er-age bear.
John A2
Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 12:35 a.m.
The bear is doing exactly what he is supposed to do. We are the ones who are growing so big they have no choice but to come here. Where else is there??... This is it.
John A2
Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 12:37 a.m.
We also need to stop trying to smother it, and taking care of business that we have too much of already.
Peter Jameson
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 9:22 p.m.
This is some really important journalism.
b_ketch
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 10:23 p.m.
You're reading AnnArbor.com, were you expecting Pulitzer Prize-winning content? What's great about a web-based format is you don't have to read this story if you don't want to. Unless someone forced you against your will to click on the link, posting your opinion on stories like this is borderline ridiculous. You're better off voicing your journalistic concerns to the editors instead of calling attention to yourself on a thread.
Dexter Bear
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 10:15 p.m.
I'm happy to live in an area where interesting wildlife sightings dominate the summer news more than murders.
Mr. Ed
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 9:58 p.m.
The story did cover the Bear Facts.
aareader
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
I walk at that park every few days and have not seen any bears or bares. So maybe it has left the area.... after seeing itself on Facebook
Enforcer
Tue, Jun 28, 2011 : 10:26 a.m.
Which park is that?
lumberg48108
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
Bears are dangerous ... even the friendly ones! You cant trust them ... dont believe me, see this image <a href="http://www.simpsonswiki.net/wiki/Yogi_Bear" rel='nofollow'>http://www.simpsonswiki.net/wiki/Yogi_Bear</a> (on right)
A2comments
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 7:22 p.m.
Guess that should be Boo-Boo, not Bo-Bo...
A2comments
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 7:21 p.m.
As I said, the raccoon in the storm drain is scouting the area so that DB (no, not Dave Brandon, "Dexter Bear") knows when the coast is clear. With the trap removed, watch for increased activity. If you hear "Hey Bo-Bo, Better Than the Average Bear", run the other way...
JJ
Mon, Jun 27, 2011 : 7:15 p.m.
This uncertantly is getting hard to bear. However, I truly beleive it is still here and it is very content with plenty of forage / edibles in the green forest and surronding waters. Nature at its best.