Bears jump homeowner's fence to grab a snack
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SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- You think even though you live in the foothills that your house that is on the interior loop of the street and surrounded by fences would keep the bears out.
But not to one particularly hungry mother bear and two equally hungry cubs.
Friday evening, the trio managed to climb a fence and get into the garbage of a home on Cascade Avenue.
"At first I thought that's a huge cat, and then at the same time it turned around and I saw it was cub and I saw the mom," said Megan Miller. She called 911 but the bears scurried away before officers could arrive.
Wildlife officers did capture a 147-pound bear in a trap later in the day but it's not known if it's the same bear. They say the captured 2 1/2 year old might have had vision problems that led it to be especially bold while marauding trash cans around the neighborhood and seem fearless with people close by.
Snoqualmie Police say they have received a dozen calls reporting bears since the first of June.
Fish and Wildlife teams will keep tracking the problem, but they need help from neighbors where problems are the worst.
"Clean up your garbage, make sure your barbecue grills are cleaned up, compost piles, you know -- be bear smart," said Sgt. Kim Chandler with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Miller says her family only leaves the recycling bins outside now because they don't need any more uninvited house guests.
Meanwhile, the trapped bear will get a medical exam and if his eyes check out, he'll be released soon.
But not to one particularly hungry mother bear and two equally hungry cubs.
Friday evening, the trio managed to climb a fence and get into the garbage of a home on Cascade Avenue.
"At first I thought that's a huge cat, and then at the same time it turned around and I saw it was cub and I saw the mom," said Megan Miller. She called 911 but the bears scurried away before officers could arrive.
Wildlife officers did capture a 147-pound bear in a trap later in the day but it's not known if it's the same bear. They say the captured 2 1/2 year old might have had vision problems that led it to be especially bold while marauding trash cans around the neighborhood and seem fearless with people close by.
Snoqualmie Police say they have received a dozen calls reporting bears since the first of June.
Fish and Wildlife teams will keep tracking the problem, but they need help from neighbors where problems are the worst.
"Clean up your garbage, make sure your barbecue grills are cleaned up, compost piles, you know -- be bear smart," said Sgt. Kim Chandler with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Miller says her family only leaves the recycling bins outside now because they don't need any more uninvited house guests.
Meanwhile, the trapped bear will get a medical exam and if his eyes check out, he'll be released soon.
