Minneapolis woman on the mend following bear attack near Nisswa

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – A 65-year-old Minneapolis woman was released from a Brainerd area hospital and is on the mend after being attack by a black bear at a cabin on Gull Lake, near Nisswa, on May 26.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the woman let her dog out shortly after midnight and heard it become confrontational with something outside. When she went to check on the dog, a black bear struck her on the arms and chest, which knocked her to the ground.

Nearby family members heard the struggle and were able to scare the bear off of the woman and out of the yard.

She was then treated at a nearby hospital for her injuries.

According to a MN DNR official, black bears are rarely aggressive and may have been startled by the dog and attacked the woman as a self-defense reaction.

The agency also said this attack represents only the tenth documented known bear attack with serious injuries since 1987. 

According to the MN DNR website, if you encounter a bear in the wild, you should not make any sudden movements and walk away from the animal slowly while never taking your eyes off the bear.

If the bear approaches you, the MN DNR suggests you act boldly, make loud noises, a throw things at it and never climb a tree as an escape.

If you are attacked by a bear, the agency states, you should not play dead and instead fight for your life with any weapon that is nearby while targeting the animal’s face, eyes and nose.