Courtesy Photo by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife biologists Angela Kujawa, left, Sherry Raifsnider, center, and Miranda VanCleave, right, are seen working to remove a lid from an immobilized black bear. The bear had gotten its head stuck in the lid as a cub and carried it around for two years.

ALPENA — State wildlife biologists have tracked down an elusive bear in Montmorency County that got its head stuck in a plastic lid as a cub, and they removed the lid after the bear wore it for two years.

According to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) press release, wildlife biologists have been tracking the bear since 2023. A property owner captured the cub on a trail camera with a blue lid around its head, likely from a 55-gallon drum. These drums are commonly used by hunters to bait bears or to store livestock feed, which often attract bears.

In May, a Hillman resident spotted the bear on trail camera photos, the press release explained. State biologists worked with the landowner and set up a baited enclosure trap and caught the bear on June 2. Biologists anesthetized the bear and removed the lid. They were also able to collect body measurements and other data from the bear.

When the wildlife biologist captured the young bear, it weighed 110 pounds, standard for a 2-year-old bear, according to the press release. The animal had significant scarring and an abscess on its neck. However, it was otherwise healthy considering it had carried a lid around its neck for two years.

The press release explains that baiting bears is legal in Michigan, but the containers can only be used on private land. Further, the DNR explains that containers must either have holes that are one inch or less in diameter or are 22 inches or greater in diameter, to prevent life-threatening situations to curious wildlife.

Cody Norton, DNR’s bear, furbearer, and small game specialist, said in the press release that containers that are not within the regulation specifications can result in bears and other wildlife getting their heads or other body parts stuck in them. Norton explained this can lead to injury or death.

“It’s important to remember that the opening diameter is more important than the size of the container,” Norton said in the press release.

Norton told The News on Wednesday that though cases like the Montmorency County bear are rare, they happen frequently enough that wildlife biologists have to be concerned.

“Every couple of years cases like this pop up,” Norton said.

Norton explained that most of these cases are a result of bears being curious and smelling food. Even if the containers are empty, bears still may smell the remnants of something tasty.

Overall, Norton said that the data collection opportunity with the Montmorency County bear was invaluable for staff. In most instances, staff members are trying to anesthize bears when they are wandering into populated areas, so this opportunity gave staff a more controlled environment to do necessary data collecting.

Norton told The News that the Montmorency County bear was not a good candidate for a collar tracker because of the scarring and damaged skin around its neck. However, wildlife biologists were still able to gather data that will inform further conservation efforts of local wildlife.

According to the DNR, Michigan is home to 13,000 black bears and 1,700 of them live in the northern Lower Peninsula. To learn how individuals can minimise encounters with bears and protect bears from human activity that may harm them, visit bearwise.org.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.