Wolves, coyotes and bears in Duluth, MN (Roseville, Two Harbors: city hall, neighborhood)

[Pink2018]

I hope to retire in Duluth. I also hope to have two large dogs...GSD and Standard Poodle. If I live in town and only walk in town with the dogs, will my dogs and I be safe from wolves, coyotes and bears? I have read lots of articles and see all kinds of answers. Coyote fencing and such is a worry for me. I will live in town...not in the country. I won't be feeding the birds. I know that attracts bears and other creatures. The dogs will not be living outside. They will be inside with me and they will be fed inside. Garbage will be kept with lid on tightly and in the garage till the morning of pick up. So just what are my chances of crossing paths with any of God's creatures!

[cornsnicker3]

I doubt you have much to worry about. Wolves, coyotes, and bears in city limits are relatively rare. I haven’t heard any real stories of dogs being attacked by wildlife in town. Get 10 miles out of town and it may be different, but not Duluth proper.

[Pink2018]

Oh good. That makes it more dream-able to move there! Thank you.

[demtion35]

Not so much, I can think of many instances where there have been bears in yards, and many more in different places in Duluth. I do not recall however that any of them attacked an dog though. There have been many times in Lincoln Park in yards where a bear has come in, a few years ago, there was one in Park Point and a few years ago, there was on downtown in or near city hall area, a few years ago there was another over in Billings Park, and a number of years ago now,,, there was one down near the lake walk out east which had to be killed only because there was no trangulizer gun handy.

There are other times bears are around also, you hear about it many times. Not everyday though, but enough, it is after all Duluth. There have been some out on Arnold Rd and Martin Rd, Arrowhead, and many other places as well

[url]https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/outdoors/4617056-wolves-attack-dog-near-observation-road-duluth[/url

Co workers of my other, have told several times different stories of bears coming into their yards, so yes it does happen at times, there have been several times when my dog and I have been out hiking on the SHT in Duluth where we have seen a bear. One time we saw a mother and three cubs come in our direction just off the SHT out near Skyline past Spirit Mountain, I could see them coming toward us through the trees. She then turned and they continued on and crossed Skyline heading south. They were about one city block distance away.

Another time in late fall or early deer rifle season, because parts of the SHT are closed during those times, my dog and I were out hiking north of Two Harbors on the SHT, when we noticed a bear several hundred feet up ahead off the trail from us looking out from an large overturned tree roots. We kept our eyes on her as we backed away from the area and made haste to leave here alone.

A few years ago there was a hiker on the SHT out in Mission Creek area who said he had two wolves come down the trail towards him and at less than one hundred feet they turned off.

[Pink2018]

demtion35...holy smokes! That is some scary stuff. I will keep that in mind as I get closer to retirement. Doesn't sound like the bears attack but wolves concern me. Altho I do not plan on being in the woods. Too much of a city slicker for that!

[Robinwomb]

I'd be more concerned with other dog attacks in the city. I've walked my dog (on a leash) on several occasions where large dogs were running loose and attacked my dog. It happened about two months ago when two dogs came running up behind us and attacked my dog. It took five minutes for the owners to come out and call off their dogs while they had my dog pinned down and she was yelping. I could not fight them off on my own, but fortunately my dog was able to wriggle free and I allowed her to run down the street to get away from them (they chased her for a block). I now walk with pepper spray, cell phone, and sometimes a stick in case this happens again because the police will be immediately called next time. I've had many friends also tell stories of dog attacks because people feel they don't need to be responsible for keeping their pets contained. One coworker was mauled but saved by a heavy coat she had on. Sadly the dog who attacked her was put down because it was not the first time it attacked someone, and thankfully the owner was also fined heavily. It's the law to keep your dog contained on a leash or in a fenced in yard inside the city.

[Pink2018]

Robinwomb...that would FREAK ME OUT! Leash laws are there for a reason! Thank you!

[2x3x29x41]

Duluth lies within the range of the timber wolf, but they shy away from urban areas. Coyotes, not so much.

As for bears, when I lived in Duluth (I left a quarter century ago) I spent a few months in a place in Hunters Park, and I saw bears in the yard on multiple occasions. But we were very close to Hartley Park, which is about one square mile of undeveloped forest and wetlands. They were never a problem. The one time I encountered one (as opposed to seeing it out a window), it turned and left in a hurry.

Wildlife would be way, way down on my list of concerns.

[Pink2018]

2x3x29x41...thank you. You have peeked my curiosity as to why wildlife is your last concern. Please elaborate. Thank you.

[wamer27]

I’ve always had a fear for bears and it didn’t help when I read a bear attack book as a kid many years ago. I had no problems or feared or thought of them when I was in my yard in the outskirts of Anchorage. We had brown bears which would eat a black bear as an appetizer. The giant brown bear the Duluth zoo had named terrible maybe, came from my neighborhood.

OP, you really can’t get away from where bears live. I found scat in my clients yard in Roseville, MN...it’s a first ring suburb of Twin Cities. You’re gonna have to cull your thoughts of animals or else become an avid indoorsman/woman. If your fear won’t subside, get a conceal and carry or bear mace. All my friends in AK carry when in woods.