Black bear attack leaves Wisconsin woman seriously injured, DNR says

By Riley Moser, John Lauritsen, Stephen Swanson

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    Wisconsin (WCCO) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating after officials say a black bear attacked a 69-year-old woman Saturday afternoon.

The woman, identified by the DNR as Karen Frye, reported the attack that happened near the town of Comstock in Barron County around 2 p.m. She was able to call 911 and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Frye was eventually transferred to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

As of Monday night, she is in stable condition.

Local DNR wardens and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services staff responded to the incident and began searching for the bear. At the time, they found a cub in a tree. DNR officials say the bear that attacked may have been the cub’s mother, but it is unknown why the attack occurred.

Using a trained bear hound dog, they attempted to track the bear but were unsuccessful, the Wisconsin DNR says. Several bear traps were set around the area. The DNR plans to euthanize the bear and “assess its condition.”

Wisconsin News Black bear attack leaves Wisconsin woman seriously injured, DNR says minnesota By Updated on: July 14, 2025 / 8:08 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating after officials say a black bear attacked a 69-year-old woman Saturday afternoon.

The woman, identified by the DNR as Karen Frye, reported the attack that happened near the town of Comstock in Barron County around 2 p.m. She was able to call 911 and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Frye was eventually transferred to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

As of Monday night, she is in stable condition.

Local DNR wardens and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services staff responded to the incident and began searching for the bear. At the time, they found a cub in a tree. DNR officials say the bear that attacked may have been the cub’s mother, but it is unknown why the attack occurred.

Using a trained bear hound dog, they attempted to track the bear but were unsuccessful, the Wisconsin DNR says. Several bear traps were set around the area. The DNR plans to euthanize the bear and “assess its condition.”

“Unfortunately, black bears displaying aggressive behavior are an elevated risk for repeating the behavior,” the DNR said in a written release on Monday.

Neighbors noticing bear boom Bryan Sommerfeld lives and farms on the same road as the victim. He said the animals pass through the area all the time, but this year he’s seen more than usual.

“For me, I’ve never seen four before,” Sommerfeld said. “We really respect them, but I can see how they could really sneak right up on you. You can’t hear them.”

Sommerfeld said he’s staying alert while praying his neighbor recovers.

Black bears returning to pre-colonial habitats

Andy Tri, the bear project leader for the Minnesota DNR, says the state’s bear population is re-colonizing areas they were in before the arrival of European settlers. He said the animals have been moving further south and further west in recent years.

“In the old days, we used to solve a lot of black bear problems with bullets,” Tri said. “And now, people are just generally more tolerant of them. But also, there’s just been this slow progression farther and farther out.”

Many are yearlings kicked out by their mothers, as the sows look to breed again. This year, Tri said they’ve received reports of black bears as far south as Jackson County near the Iowa border.

“They won’t set up in large populations in the heavy-duty ag country, but just knowing that bear range is expanding is a helpful thing,” he said.

Tri said the animals are typically after grills, garbage and bird feeders. And while black bears aren’t inherently dangerous, they will protect their cubs.

“Make yourself big, make some noise. Back out and that sort of thing,” Tri said. “Try and get the kids and dogs inside. Just make sure you aren’t feeding or approaching bears.”

The Wisconsin DNR estimates there are 24,000 bears in the state. They are generally not aggressive and tend to avoid humans as much as possible. However, bears can sometimes be aggressive if cubs are present.

There are no reports of deaths resulting from encounters with wild black bears in Wisconsin, according to the DNR.

Stay bear aware The Wisconsin DNR recommends that people in bear country minimize food attractants around their residences or camps, keep grills clean and secure, make bird feeders inaccessible to bears by hanging them 10 feet from the ground and 5 feet from any surface, keep garbage cans secured, clean and inside sheds if possible, and not leave pet food outside.

People who encounter a bear while hiking, hunting or camping should follow these tips:

Never approach a bear Do not run Do not lie down or play dead 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 Fight back if attacked People who encounter a bear in their yard or around their home should find a secure area so the bear has a clear escape path and make a lot of noise by yelling, honking a car horn or banging pots and pans. Motion-activated water sprinklers, lights or alarms may also be helpful.

The Minnesota DNR has a sightings page on its website, and they are looking for pictures of bears in areas where they aren’t typically found.

Comstock is located about 70 miles northwest of Eau Claire.

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