Black bear makes unlikely visit to Falls
by Jeff Pederson
Sheboygan Falls News Editor
A black bear, which roamed freely through Sheboygan County last week, made a brief appearance in the Sheboygan Falls area Thursday, June 3.
The bear, which had been estimated to weigh between 300 and 350 pounds, was initially spotted Tuesday, June 1, near Random Lake.
Two days later, the bear paid a visit to Sheboygan Falls. It was spotted along State 32, near Interstate 43 and County V.
On Friday, June 4, Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Schoen spotted the bear, just south of Kohler-Andrae State Park on Sandwood Lane near Wilson-Lima Road.
After seeing the bear, the sheriff’s department continued to track it moving south along Lake Michigan toward Oostburg. The bear was later spotted moving through Harrington Beach State Park near Belgium.
On Saturday, June 5, the well-traveled bear was captured and tranquilized in Port Washington. It was found a tree, just north of Upper Lake Park.
Approximately 15 Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials, police officers and firefighters were at the scene to set up equipment to cushion the bear’s fall from the tree.
It was then transported to public land north of Green Bay, where it was released.
