Bear Den Run Over by Combine While Bear Slept Inside. Hunter Works Fast to Save It
Bears tend to go into a deep sleep-like hibernation, better known as torpor, during this time of year.
They do this mainly because of the cold weather and food shortage.
By creating a den, grizzlies and black bears have a warm and secure place to retreat to in the winter. Once the warm season hits, the bear leaves its lair and returns to the forest.
While sleeping the winter away is beneficial for bears, there’s always a chance of interruption.
These animals can easily wake up from a torpor state when distracted by outside noises or predators.
For instance, a small incident in Eau Claire, Wisconsin startled a black bear while it napped in its den. A series of photos and videos posted on Facebook shared exactly what happened that day.
Hunter Dan Solie said his farmer friend accidentally ran over the den with his combine, trapping the bear inside.
Soon after, he and his wife, Anne, were notified about the problem.
With permission from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the pair worked fast to save the bear.
“Pewad called me up when it happened between Osseo and [Augusta] so we went out to see if we could get him out,” Solie wrote in a comment on his post.
Fortunately, the bear survived the scary episode unharmed. It was just a matter of setting him free from the ruined den.
With his wife’s help, Solie dug at the icy cornfield entrapping the bear. Through a small hole, the bear’s head could be seen.
It’s unknown how long it took the two to finally open the den, but once they did, they backed off to watch his next moves.
A video captured the moments the animal emerged from the den.
“Now that was awesome!! Nice job Dan & Ann,” one person wrote on the post.
Good thing Solie and his wife were there to save it just in time. He suspects the black bear “will re-hibernate in another area,” and hopefully one that’s safer.
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