Wildlife authorities are advising how to avoid potential conflicts with black bears after an attack on a woman Saturday in northwestern Wisconsin. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources photo)

Efforts to capture a black bear are ongoing as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigates an attack on a 69-year-old woman near the town of Comstock in Barron County in the northwestern part of the state.

The victim, 69-year-old Karen Frye, was able to call 911 after being attacked about 2 p.m. while outside at her rural residence, the DNR said. She was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to another hospital where she is recovering and in stable condition, according to the DNR’s report.

Although the investigation is ongoing, preliminary findings, including information coming from the family, suggest the bear exhibited a sustained series of aggressive behaviors towards the victim, the DNR said in a news release Monday.

Officers from Barron County and the city of Cumberland initially responded to the 911 call. Local DNR wardens and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services staff also responded. Upon arrival, they began looking for the bear and located a cub in a tree, indicating this involved a sow and cub.

DNR wardens and USDA Wildlife Services staff attempted to track the bear with the aid of a trained bear hound dog, but the search was unsuccessful. Several bear traps have been set, with efforts to live capture the bear focused at the site of the incident. As of Monday afternoon, the bear involved has not yet been captured, nor has its cub been caught.

If captured, the DNR said, the sow involved will be euthanized and assessed, including conducting a rabies test to ascertain the risk to the victim. The examination will also help determine whether injury or other illness may have contributed to the bear’s behavior.

“Humane euthanasia is not always the standard practice in human/bear conflicts,” said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist. “Our actions in these types of situations are very carefully determined based upon the totality of the known evidence of each event. Although we’re still working to piece together every element of what transpired in this incident, we know enough to warrant attempting to livetrap at the location of the incident and humanely euthanize this bear if captured.”

If the cub is captured, it will be relocated and released in the wild. By this time of year, cubs are able to survive on their own and this cub will likely have a better opportunity to thrive in the wild without human intervention, Johnson said.

Any other bears captured will be released unharmed. Initial trapping efforts captured a male black bear, which was promptly released, the DNR said.

DNR wardens said it’s unknown why the attack occurred, although bears can be aggressive when they are with cubs. Black bears are generally secretive and generally tend to avoid humans as much as possible.

Incidents of black bears attacking or killing humans are very rare but do occur both in Wisconsin and across the country, the DNR said. No human fatalities have resulted from encounters with wild black bears in recorded Wisconsin history. There are an estimated 24,000 bear in Wisconsin.

The DNR said it partners with USDA’s Wildlife Services staff to respond to bear complaints. USDA Wildlife Services responds to 500-600 nuisance bear complaints annually.

Between 70% to 80% of complaints are resolved by providing recommendations to the complainant, most often the removal of an attractant. Trapping and relocation of bears is the primary abatement option when direct control is needed.

The DNR reminds the public to avoid bear attractants at residences or camps. Bird feeders should be hung 10 feet from the ground, brought in at night or used only in winter. Garbage cans should be secured.

The DNR advises that if an individual encounters a bear while hiking, hunting or camping:

— Never approach a bear;

— Do not run; and

— Do not lie down or play dead.

Tactics for resolving the situation include:

— Talk to the bear or start shouting if it doesn’t leave;

— Raise your arms above your head and wave them to appear larger than you are;

— Slowly back away and don’t turn your back on the bear;

— Always leave an escape route for the bear; and

— Fight back if attacked.

Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.