How In The World Did Two Bears End Up Trapped In Upstate New York

A tense wildlife emergency unfolded deep in the Hudson Valley, and DEC officers had to move fast.

Two trapped bears in the Hudson Valley were saved.

The young bears rescue was highlighted in the latest New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s "Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol" report.

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On Tuesday, a trapper told the New York State DEC about two yearling bears stuck in foothold traps within a few feet of each other in the town of Rockland.

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ECO Johnson and Lieutenant Lattimer responded. The licensed trapper is legally allowed to trap bobcats.

While trying to trap bobcats, he accidentally trapped the bears, officials say. Each bear had a front paw trapped in the footholds and was unable to escape.

How Trapped Bears Were Released

To avoid injury, ECO Johnson had to "carefully" pin one bear down using a catchpole while Lieutenant Lattimer used a piece of plywood as a shield, allowing the trapper to safely access the bear’s front paw and free it.

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This process was repeated for the second trapped bear. Both animals ran off into the woods.

It's unclear how long the bears were trapped, but New York State trapping regulations require trappers to check their traps at least once every 24 hours, reducing the amount of time an animal remains in a trap.

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