Doug Smith (StarTribune)
Darlene Baglio had seen at least one black bear in her north-central Minnesota yard in the past few days, so she was being extra cautious about letting her dog out.
On Monday evening, the 72-year-old McGregor woman carefully surveyed the scene outside her door to make sure no bears were in sight. She saw none, so she let the dog out.
But hidden beneath her deck were three yearling bears. Their 190-pound mother was nearby, out of Baglio’s view. The young bears took off, with the dog in hot pursuit.
When Baglio reached the bottom of her deck stairs, she saw the sow nearby. At first it ran toward the dog, but when Baglio called out for the dog, the bear came at her, striking her left arm and side with its claws and knocking her to the ground, according to a state Department of Natural Resources account of the rare attack. The bear retreated, then attacked a second time, biting her on the right arm and leg. It then ran off toward the yearlings.
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