Bear Sighted in Oakdale, Reports Differ on Where Bear Was Killed

Local news reports differ slightly on where a black bear that was seen roaming in Oakdale Friday morning was later killed by a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officer, and whether it was even the same bear.

KARE 11 reports that the bear was killed in North St. Paul, however the Star Tribune reports that the bear wandered from the east side of St. Paul, to North St. Paul to Oakdale, where it was killed.

The Pioneer Press reports that the bear that was shot near Interstate 494 was likely the same one seen earlier in Oakdale, but that they can’t be certain.

The Oakdale Police Department’s report on the incident did not state that the bear was shot, only that it wandered from North St. Paul into Oakdale and then into Pine Springs, according to Oakdale Police Capt. Jack Kettler.

According to the report, a 49th Street resident called Oakdale police around 5 a.m. Friday morning to report that a black bear was chasing her dog, Kettler said. Around the same time, police got a report from the North St. Paul police department that a bear was headed into Oakdale, and the Oakdale police department tracked the bear until it left and traveled into Pine Springs, Kettler said.

Oakdale Patch’s call to the Minnesota DNR’s communications department to confirm where the bear was shot was not returned Friday afternoon.

According to a DNR press release, bears are generally looking for food, and so removing bird feeders and securing garbage containers can  help prevent bears from becoming a problem.

Bears are generally afraid of humans, however, if you see a bear you should stay indoors, the press release says.

If the bear sticks around the area for more than a day or two, residents should call the local area wildlife office, the release says.

Update: Since the writing of this story, the Star Tribune story was updated and now only specifies that the bear was killed near Interstate 694 and Highway 36.