Bear Captured in Sheboygan

Residents in Sheboygan had quite the surprise early this morning.

At 4:35 AM the Sheboygan Police Department received numerous calls about a black bear in the city. 

"I saw him near the Piggly Wiggly," one caller told 911 dispatch. "I'd say he's 300 pounds."

"I thought I was seeing things," said another caller. "But I'm not."  

Officers checked the area and located a black bear in a residential neighborhood near 19th and Alexander near the bike trail where the bear was originally spotted. Officers were able to use a chemical capture device to safely capture the bear. The bear was turned over to the DNR for release. 

"Officers tried to contain it," explained Sheboygan Police Lt. Michael Williams.  "It went into a backyard on north 19th. By that time there was an officer with a tranquilizer gun." 

No one was hurt or injured while the bear was in the city. The DNR estimated the bear was a 2 year old male that weighs about 250lbs. 

The bear landed in Tricia Meyer's yard and she says there was a bit of a scare at the end.

"They gathered around it and it lifted up its head again," Meyer tells CBS 58. "So they had to take another tranquilizer shot."

Bear sightings are not common in southeast Wisconsin however they do happen from time to time. If you see a bear do not approach it and call the authorities as soon as possible.     

In 23 years of service, Lt. Williams says he's never had a call like this.

If it does happen again, anywhere, the advice is to stay back and call police right away.