LITTLE CHUTE — Little Chute is the second community in the Fox Valley to report a sighting of a black bear Monday.
Describing the video he posted to his Facebook page, JD Schuman said he was in his living room about 2:30 a.m. Monday when he heard something on his deck.
“Y’all I think there is another bear in Little Chute,” he wrote.
The video shows the bear wandering off in the neighborhood near Simon’s Specialty Cheese Store. (Jump ahead to the :28 second mark in the video)
The sighting was about 2-1/2 miles from where town of Vandenbroek authorities were notified about later that morning about a black bear in the Meadow Creek Subdivision (Artesian Way & Bonnie Ln).
That sighting was at about 11 a.m.
The area is just off Highway 55 between Kaukauna and Freedom.
The town took to its Facebook page that the DNR recommends numerous steps that anyone can make to prevent or stop nuisance bear issues.
- Remove attractants from the area. Food that would be attractive to bears such as pet food, home waste or bird feeders needs to be secured properly or taken down for a period of time. Some are surprised to find that barbeque grills may also attract bears and should be stored in a secure location.
- If you see a bear, it is important to harass it. This can be as simple as yelling at the bear, banging pots or pans or honking an air horn to discourage further unwanted visits. Keeping bears wild helps ensure that more dangerous situations are less likely.
- Finally, if none of the above steps have proven effective or if bears are demonstrating abnormally bold behavior, contact USDA-Wildlife Services to conduct an investigation. Phone lines are monitored seven days a week so it is important to leave a message if no one answers the phone.
