A 200-pound female yearling bear decided to explore the streets of Carson City on Friday night, climbing over fences, going through backyards and finally climbing up a tree before being tranquilized by a Nevada Department of Wildlife game warden.
The hungry bear cub was even chased by a couple of cows when she lumbered through Lompa Ranch field, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. Deputies and two mounted officers on horses had been pursuing the bear since early Friday evening attempting to coax her west toward the foothills.
The bear instead alarmed residents by cutting through neighborhood yards around Fremont Elementary School then to Governor's Field and finally ending her journey by climbing a tree next to Tanglewood Apartments and the Post Office off of Roop Street. She was tranquilized at around midnight.
Furlong said it was the first bear report this season in the Carson City limits. The bear had not been tagged and was likely looking for a food source in town, said Game Warden Jake Kreamer.
Trying to fatten up before winter hibernation, numerous bears have been seen lurking around Carson Valley, Kingsbury Grade and Lake Tahoe.
The bear will have blood and DNA samples taken before she will be set free, said Kreamer.
"We'll kick her free far away from here," he said.