x
Breaking News
More () »

Bear Wanders into Neighborhood and Up Tree

MONTOURSVILLE –Things got a little “wild” in Lycoming County Monday morning. A bear wandered into Montoursville and up a tree. State police, M...

MONTOURSVILLE --Things got a little "wild" in Lycoming County Monday morning.

A bear wandered into Montoursville and up a tree.

State police, Montoursville police, and an officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission had the bruin surrounded along Montour Street.

"As long as you don't bother them, they're not going to bother you. This is a different situation, now he's scared," said David Bertin of Montoursville.

The male bear was perched in a tree. Everyone else was on the ground waiting to see how the standoff between man and beast would end.

A tranquilizer dart put the black bear to sleep, but he managed to stay in the tree.

"It's better than its falling and getting hurt from the accident, it's not meaning to do any harm," said Carissa Bigger of Montoursville.

Eventually, the fire department was called in and officials tried to tie a rope around the animal when it fell to the ground unharmed.

"The bear does appear to be fine, we wanted to rope the bear and lower it down. Didn't work out that way," said Wildlife Control Officer Chris Krebs. "We don't want homeowners to encourage bears to be too comfortable and spend time here and around town."

Now that the bruin has come back to earth, wildlife control officers will return him to his natural habitat. That does not mean downtown Montoursville. He will be dropped off somewhere he is familiar, but won't come back here anytime soon.

Before You Leave, Check This Out