A bear had been on the go in the Alma area for a month or so before Dennis Shores, Patrol Sergeant for the Alma Police department, managed to corner him up a tree in the backyard of a populated Alma neighborhood.
The bear looked to be in rough condition with bad mange according to reports.
On Monday (July 13) night the Alma police set up bear traps and a live cam near O’reilly’s, but the bear didn’t return.
Tuesday (July 14) around 8:00 p.m. Alma police received a call reporting a bear spotting off Columm Lane near the Brookhaven utility ride away.
Shores contacted the NWA Game and Fish Bear Biologist but was told there would be a wait because the biologist was in the middle of another job at that moment.
Shores and other Alma Police officers went door to door to ask residents to go inside for their safety and for the safety of the bear.
One family got this unusual message delivered to them, “We’re going to need you to stay inside. There is a bear in your backyard.
This neighborhood is very close to the Alma intermediate school, and not a good place for a bear to be on the loose.
Shores decided to attempt to tree the bear hoping it would buy time for the NWA Game and Fish Bear Biologist to arrive.
And that is what he did. He said he put his hands up high and yelled in a big voice as he ran straight toward the bear.
Fortunately for the bear and Shores, his technique worked.
Shores said “I kind of felt sorry for the little guy. He’s in bad shape. He looked rough. I wasn’t smart enough to think he would hurt me, but I’m sure he was capable of it.”
The bear was a 50 to 60-pound yearling, according to Patrol Sergeant Shores.
Eventually, the bear was darted and brought down from the tree safely.
Shores says it is up to the Game and Fish Bear Biologist to decide what treatment or rehabilitation the bear may need and to make relocation decisions.
Nicely done Sergeant Shores.
