We know Door County has a healthy population of deer and other wildlife. But are there any bears?
Probably some but not many, says Department of Natural Resources wildlife technician James Harbaugh.
Harbaugh says he will occasionally get a call about someone spotting a bear in Door County.
"This past two, three years I think I've had one phone call that somebody said that they had a bear that ran through their backyard ... but not much other than that."
Harbaugh says there are bears in Oconto and Marinette Counties. But to get to Door County the bears would have to go the long way -- through Brown County -- and that's not an attractive route for them.
So what about venturing across the ice of Green Bay during the winter? Harbaugh says that's not an option because that's the time of year bears are hibernating.
That said, Harbaugh says Door County does possess good habitat for bears -- in pockets -- with deep conifer swamps and forested lands and areas that are isolated from people.
But Harbaugh says if there were a sustaining population of bears there would be evidence of damage to the cherry and apple crop and he's not seeing that.
He says any bears that are spotted in Door County are likely "just passing through."
"They kind of hang out for a while and then they realize there's no mate here, they're kind of isolated and they don't have another male or female to hang out with during the breeding season and they move on."
