Minnesota DNR Offers New Way to Report Bear Sightings

UNDATED -- If you are outside of what's considered Minnesota's northern forests and see a bear, the Department of Natural Resources wants to know about.

The DNR has designed a new reporting application on its website to gather bear sightings made by the public outside of the primary bear range.

According to wildlife officials, Minnesota's black bear range has been slowly expanding southward and westward and the DNR is studying why. Sightings are being increasingly reported outside the normal bear habitat and are believed to be wandering male bears.

However, scientists want to see how far female bears and cubs have expanded their reach outside the primary range.

For more information, use the link to the DNR's bear sightings reporting webpage.