My home on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, lies next to a large and wild city park. We’re often blessed by visits from local wildlife. While I was on a walk earlier this week, I learned a new bear story from one of my neighbors, and it reminded me of two other stories about neighborhood bears.
The story my neighbor told me happened years ago at the house next to mine. The incident involved honey, a black bear, and guns. Warning: things do not end well for the bear.
My neighbor said that the event even got written up in the newspaper, so when I returned home, I began a search. I found it! The headline from the Sept. 25, 1958, Duluth News Tribune reads: “Honey-Loving Bear Killed. Elaborate Trap Ends Bee Hive [sic] Raids.”
Ole Martinson used to live in the house next door. He was a beekeeper and had several hives. Oak trees also grace the yard, and bears are drawn to the acorns. That fall, a 250-pound bear was bulking up for winter and raided the hives. Martinson complained to his neighbors, who decided to help him with his plight. The article says that the residents, “had fired about 15 shots at the bear in three days, but never were successful in hitting the animal.”
Can you image people discharging firearms within city limits like that now? (Currently in Minnesota, it’s illegal to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling or occupied building unless you have written permission from the owner or occupant.)
After the unsuccessful hunt, a policeman who lived at the end of the road (Royce Hanna), and another neighbor concocted a plan with Martinson. They strung a line of light bulbs from a garage to a field and a lookout was posted to whistle when the bear approached in the night. The whistle was the signal for the lights to be switched on.
According to my neighbor, who witnessed the event, the first night they tried this scheme, the lookout mistook moonlight glinting off the lightbulbs for the bear’s eyes and Hanna shot out a lightbulb instead of a bear. (Apparently, they didn’t turn the lights on before Hanna shot!)
The second night, the bear walked into the trap “with 35 to 40 spectators hidden nearby. . . Someone whistled at the right time, the lights flashed on and Hanna opened fire. The policeman’s first shot wounded the bear. His second killed the animal.”
My neighbor told me that Hanna almost lost his job because he had called in sick that day and then his boss read about it in the newspaper. I guess the lesson is, don’t give interviews to newspaper reporters when you’re supposed to be sick! He also said that someone else in the neighborhood had skinned the bear and kept the hide.
The second story happened last fall. The people who now live in Martinson’s house had multiple bear raids on their garbage can, which they unwisely left outside all the time. I could tell the culprit was a bear by the scat left behind. Have you ever seen bear scat? It can look like a pile of chocolate soft serve ice cream in a pile as large as a dinner plate, depending on the size of the bear.
To deter the animal, they rigged the garbage can lid with straps to hold it down, plus tied the container to a tree in their yard. I just laughed when I saw this. Like a few little straps would deter a huge bear! Here’s a photo of what their container looked like the next morning.
Score one for the bear! After this, my neighbors cleaned out their garage enough that they could fit their garbage and recycling containers in it. I’m not sure why they didn’t do that in the first place. Must be slow learners. Or maybe they thought it was only a racoon.
Anyway, knowing that the house next door has been a bear target for years is sort of fun. At least this time, the bear got away with its life.
The third story happened in my own back yard about fifteen years ago. We were eating breakfast when we noticed the bear. My former husband was so excited, he burst out of the house clutching some doughnuts AND RAN TOWARD THE BEAR. I ran after him, asking what he was doing. “I want to feed the bear!” he said. I must mention that my former husband was from Russia. I guess that’s just what they do.
The bear took one look at this crazy Russian running toward him and promptly turned tail. He climbed a tree in a yard a few houses away. Disappointed, my husband left the doughnuts at the base of the tree for the bear once he climbed down.
I don’t recall if the bear ever ate the doughnuts, but this story was forever cemented in the annals of family history. Remember that time your dad chased a bear?
Marie's Meanderings 
My father always said that Russians were fearless…..
Life with this particular Russian was full of energy and surprises! (In the good times, at least.)
I am somewhat reminded of a story I head about Coyotes visiting a suburban neighborhood near Dallas. A resident posting on the HOA site that coyotes following the wash that bordered the neighborhood bothered her sense of propriety , and could the men in the neighborhood do something to frighten the coyotes away. Some wiseacre on the HOA site offered to have all the men in the neighborhood gather to ‘mark’ the territory all around the HOA boundary, and was surprised when the complaining resident was thrilled at the prospect. She advocated that the men set a date and time for the mass wetting of the perimeter, and offered to have the local news report on the event.
Classic! I wonder if any of the men followed through? It probably would have worked. 🙂
Your neighborhood has a lively history, Marie. It is a wonder someone beside the bear did not get shot. Too funny! At least the present neighbors cleaned up the mess and realized not to leave their cans out as an invitations. Be careful on your walks and watch for bears!
Yes, the fact that there was a large audience watching takes the first story to a whole new level. One tale I didn’t mention was that I ran into a bear on a walk alone in the park one time. A large black animal was running TOWARD me down the trail. At first, I thought it was a Newfoundland dog, but then it saw me and turned off the trail into the woods. I realized then that it was a bear. I didn’t have time to be frightened, but was so relieved later that it was afraid of me. Shortly afterward, a mountain biker rode toward me and asked if I had seen the bear. The poor animal must have been running from him and then run into me!
Yikes! I’ve had several bear encounters, but never near my house!
That’s Duluth for you!
🐻🍩
I like the third story a lot. The bear running away from a donut-wielding man is simply wild.
Thanks! It was quite a sight to see in real life.
When you said the homeowner’s name was Ole, I was expecting a punchline involving Lena. Your first husband’s name wasn’t Sven, was it? 😉 Great set of stories!
Yes, I love that my long-ago neighbor’s name was Ole. No Svens around in the neighborhood, unfortunately. 🙂
Uffda! 😀
Bears are adorable, but there is no way I’d run toward one or even try to feed one! I felt sorry for the honey-loving bear. All that temptation of an easy meal and it ending with him getting shot. Nice essay, Marie!
Thanks Vickie. That poor bear — getting shot at so many times! That whole thing is a comedy of errors. It’s too bad the bear didn’t get scared away, but I suppose the lure was too great.
We sometimes get bears in our neighborhood. No bad stories, but I’ve had a few intimidating encounters on hikes and bike rides. The worst story happened a few years ago just north of town. A 40-something woman walking her dog in the evening was killed and partially eaten by a sow and her two yearling cubs. Our community was absolutely shocked! All three bears were euthanized.
Oh goodness, that’s a terrible story! I’m glad they caught the bears.
Generally the bears just run away, but we must never forget what they’re capable of.
And I complain about our moles! 🤣
🙂 🙂
OMG. First of all, I’m glad that it’s not 1958 anymore. They are lucky only the bear got shot! But I will give them credit for a very clever plan/trap. Unfortunately, I don’t have any bear stories. But when I lived in Albuquerque, mountain lions occasionally showed up. I lived near the foothills, and the mountain lions would come down and maybe take a swim in a backyard pool, etc. But thankfully, none ever took a dip in my apartment’s pool! 😉
Wow – mountain lions! I think they’re on par with bears or maybe a bit above in the fear factor. I hear they’re breeding once again in Upper Michigan. You might not want to move there, if you ever move again!