Bear wandering into towns in Whatcom County, killing livestock

People in one part of Whatcom County said a black bear is coming to close to their homes and killing livestock.  The state Fish and Wildlife Department said the bear has become a big enough threat that it needs to trap it.
 
The department said it's rare to spot a bear in a town the size of Custer, 9 miles from the Canadian border, because there are so few people around to see it, but over the past week there have been more than a half-dozen bear sightings.
 
Two little lambs are the survivors of what Lanni Waschke is now convinced was a bear attack. Lanni said the body of her neighbors' mama sheep was found partially pulled over the fence.
 
"They thought it was coyotes at first or maybe a cougar, but then they heard about bear sightings in the area," Lanni explained.
 
At least two chicken coops were left in shambles, and then there is this evidence: pictures of what appears to be a young black bear roaming neighborhood streets in Custer and Ferndale.  Ferndale resident Sharon Coleman posted pictures on her Facebook page of the bear knocking over her lawn décor.
 
Warden Jennifer Maurstad with the Fish and Wildlife Department said bear sightings this time of year are common, but they don't usually happen in town, and the bears don't usually cause this much destruction.
 
"If it's killed livestock, that bumps it up a notch," Maurstad explained.
 
The department has set traps to catch it and tag it, possibly relocate it — but the bear hadn't been spotted in two days until Thursday when we were in Custer, and he was gone before we could get to him.
 
Lanni is worried he may return to the scene of the crime, near her backyard where cattle, three dogs, and a curious toddler often spend the day.
 
"Every time you hear about bears you're kind of like—uh—and then my little guy too could be a target but you don't just assume they'd be out roaming during the day trying to get stuff, but you don't really know because they're never out here anyway," Lannie concludes.
 
Maurstad says once the bear is tagged, if it is caught attacking livestock again it will be euthanized.

Cox Media Group