MOUNTAIN GREEN -- Bloodhounds are on the trail of a bear that snatched a goat from a backyard in the Monte Verde area Monday night.
About 10:30 p.m. a homeowner heard a commotion in his yard, Morgan Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Kevin Edwards said. He came out to discover a black bear had killed one of his goats.
The owner fired a warning shot and the bear left. Edwards said the bear returned to snatch another goat and the owner shot the bear with a .45 caliber pistol.
The bear dropped the second goat and fled, bleeding ,into the darkness.
"They could hear it up there rumbling around in the brush, but it was too dangerous to do anything in the night," Edwards said.
This morning officials searched for the bear with bloodhounds.
"It's wounded, it's been shot," Edwards said. "they just can't find it yet."
When found, Edwards said he believes the bear will be destroyed.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has advice posted on its website for dealing with bears such as "If a bear enters your yard, give it an obvious escape route -- do not corner it. Black bears can quickly inflict thousands of dollars in property damage."
For more information on handling bear encounters visit http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/?option=com_content&view=article&id=136&Ite... or call 801-476-2740 for the Top of Utah.
If you encounter a bear
* Stand your ground. Never back up, lie down or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent.
* Don't run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph -- you cannot outclimb or outrun them.
* Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, moans or makes other sounds, it's not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest.
-- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
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