UNDATED (WXPR) – Black bears are emerging from their winter dens with cubs and are being seen in their usual summer habitats, including a few stopping by homes to see what they can find to eat.
The DNR is sponsoring an online chat today to give the public a chance to interact with DNR personnel.
Assistant big game ecologist Mary Annala says the chat is for the public to interact with the DNR staff and ask questions related to bears, bear management or bear hunting.
She says they anticipate questions about populations, hunting, and human bear conflicts, among other topics. Annala outlines how the public can get involved. “Anybody with access to the Internet just has to go to dnr.wi.gov and search the keyword ‘chat’ and they can participate.” Annala says there is an estimate of around 28,000 bears in Wisconsin.
by Miranda VanderLeest, WXPR