On July 12, a male black bear entered an occupied residence by tearing through a window screen while the homeowners inside slept. Upon gaining entry, the bear ransacked the kitchen and ate a pumpkin pie from the table. Fortunately, in this instance, the residents were unharmed and only became aware of the break-in when they discovered the damage the following morning.
The bear also returned to the property the following night, where it knocked over a garbage can and again obtained a food reward from the unsecured household garbage.
Based on the bear’s entry into a human-occupied structure, Idaho Fish and Game personnel set a trap to capture the offending bear. The capture effort was successful, and the bear was humanely dispatched in accordance with agency policy for bears that pose a clear risk to human safety.
“Our No. 1 priority is always human safety, and we are extremely grateful that the individuals inside the home are OK,” said Wildlife Manager Eric Freeman. “In a situation where a bear has entered a residence, relocation is not an option.”
