Black bear at Pleasant Valley Conservancy?

Two reliable reports have been published about bear sightings in the vicinity of Pleasant Valley Road. These sightings are at both ends of the long ridge which includes Pleasant Valley Conservancy. One sighting, at the corner of Blue Mounds Trail and Pleasant Valley Road, was of a young adult bear, about 2 1/2 feet at the shoulder, who came out from behind the Stevenson silo, crossed the road, and went up the hill. The second sighting was at the north end of the ridge, where the bear walked right past the picture window of the Brunner house, which is on County F. At this sighting, the bear stood on its hind legs; Gordy Brunner estimated the bear at about six feet tall.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, bear visitations in the Driftless Area are becoming more common. There are about 12,000 bears in Wisconsin, or which about 1800 are in the southern part of the state.

It seems reasonable that this bear walked the whole length of the ridge between Blue Mounds Trail and County F. If so, he walked the whole length of the Conservancy.

No sign of bear droppings on the ridge trail, but perhaps bears don't follow the trail the way deer do.

I'll give a prize to anyone who can get a photo of this bear!

For more details on this sighting. see pages 1 and 8 of the July 10, 2008 issue of News-Sickle-Arrow (published in Black Earth, WI).