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Michigan Black Bear Freed After Two Years With Lid Stuck on Neck

The incident underscores Michigan’s baiting rules that mandate container openings to avoid wildlife entrapment

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A trail camera on private property in Hillman, Michigan, captured this photo of a black bear with a lid stuck on its neck.

Overview

  • First photographed with the lid in 2023, the bear avoided capture until a trail camera in Hillman recorded it again on May 25, prompting DNR biologists to set a baited enclosure trap.
  • The team trapped and anesthetized the 110-pound, two-year-old bear on June 2 and removed the rim, revealing significant scarring and an abscess but no other health issues.
  • After collecting measurements and letting the animal recover from anesthesia, the bear was released back into its habitat.
  • Officials believe the rim came from a 55-gallon baiting drum and remind hunters that Michigan law requires container openings under 1 inch or over 22 inches to prevent entrapment.
  • Michigan is home to about 13,000 black bears—mostly in the Upper Peninsula—so the DNR stresses strict compliance with baiting rules to avoid further wildlife injuries.