Black bear shot at Myrick Park

The La Crosse Police Department and Wisconsin DNR fatally shot a bear at Myrick Park shortly before 11am on Saturday.

[jupiter79]

It is absolutely INFURIATING to me and many, many others that your police department and the DNR acted so irresponsibly in the wake of the black bear in Myrick Park over the weekend. This is precisely the reason I left La Crosse. Your department is an absolute embarrassment in its decisions.

It never fails to surprise me. Why wouldn’t the DNR – in a place like La Crosse, where there is a river, marshes, forests, bluffs, wildlife, etc. carry tranquilizer guns with them at all times, at least in their vehicles? This shows an absolute disregard for nature, wildlife and the public.
Not to mention a lack of education on your part.

You protected no one in your irresponsible actions. It is an embarrassment! Shame on your department. Once again! Infuriating!!!

[wkbtcom]

We have many pictures of the bear roaming around the park before the shooting. Click on this link to see all the pictures... http://slideshows.embtv.com/gallery/...

[davejar]

jupiter79: the La Crosse officers and the DNR fellow may have made the wrong call, but they had to act ASAP...and if they felt kids may be about to be harmed by the bear, they had every right to bring the bear down...2nd guessing is easy...

To find another interesting fun discussion forum, just Google:
“La Crosse Chat:index”

[wkbtcom]

NewsChannel 8 did an interview with a DNR official about the topic and found out that there was a tranquilizer gun at the Coulee Region Humane Society, which is only 15 minutes away from Myrick Park where the bear was shot. You can watch the interview at this link, http://www.wkbt.com/global/story.asp...

[davejar]

Thanks for the post and link wkbtcom. I just watched the approximately 4 minute interview from Channel 8 news...Good interview...

The one new thing I learned from the DNR official was that even if a tranquilizer gun was used on the bear, it may not have put the bear to sleep for 15 or 20 minutes...and it could have made the bear even more agitated and it could have harmed someone, or even more than one person in those 15 to 20 minutes...

To find another interesting fun discussion forum, just Google:
“La Crosse Chat:index”

[Concerned]

That bear was most likely the one that was reported roaming in Western and Northern Illinois....and we were tracking it's route. It was first noticed near Savanna, IL, then noticed near Stockton, IL, then up to Darlington. Not once was that bear ever a threat to the public. Seeing a bear here in Illinois was was something new for us. When word got out that a black bear was roaming the area, many, many people tracked the bear down and took many pictures. Several photographers went right up to the tree the bear was in and got several pictures that made it in the local paper. The bear was more scared of us than we were of it. It would have made more sense for the public to get out of the way of the bear. He was making his way home. Shame on the bear shooter.

[Teddy bear]

The DNR acted properly and in a humane manner. Their job is to manage wildlife and protect human life and interest first and foremost. Obviously few of you understand this situation. A bear willing to come in to close contact with people is at least a nuisance and at most a potential hazard. He's looking for food...probably foraging garbage cans because berries havent come in to season yet.
Studies show relocated bears return even when moved 50-100 miles away in a matter of days.
Did you consider the logistics of darting the bear in the tree? No one trained on amount of tranqualizer to use. No way to move him. Would he have been injured or killed falling from the tree?
You simply cant allow him to roam the city. Car accidents? Children?
To concerned: Youre assuming this is the same bear. Youre humanizing a wild animal. You were lucky with the foolish chances you took. You arent trained or educated in the matter what so ever yet you think you know more. The contact you had with that bear taught him to overcome his natural fear...you didnt do him any favors. You may have helped cause his problems. Think about it.

[davejar]

Teddy bear wrote:

The DNR acted properly and in a humane manner. Their job is to manage wildlife and protect human life and interest first and foremost. Obviously few of you understand this situation. A bear willing to come in to close contact with people is at least a nuisance and at most a potential hazard. He's looking for food...probably foraging garbage cans because berries havent come in to season yet.
Studies show relocated bears return even when moved 50-100 miles away in a matter of days.
Did you consider the logistics of darting the bear in the tree? No one trained on amount of tranqualizer to use. No way to move him. Would he have been injured or killed falling from the tree?
You simply cant allow him to roam the city. Car accidents? Children?
To concerned: Youre assuming this is the same bear. Youre humanizing a wild animal. You were lucky with the foolish chances you took. You arent trained or educated in the matter what so ever yet you think you know more. The contact you had with that bear taught him to overcome his natural fear...you didnt do him any favors. You may have helped cause his problems. Think about it.

Well said Teddy bear...very well said...

To find another interesting fun discussion forum, just Google:
“La Crosse Chat:index”