Authorities decide to euthanize bear in Logan

LOGAN — A young black bear led wildlife officers and local law enforcement on an hours-long chase through Logan on Sunday before it was eventually tranquilized and captured.

The roughly 2-year-old bear was spotted moving through neighborhoods, apartment complexes and businesses across the city as officials from multiple agencies worked to safely contain it.

At one point, officers believed they had trapped the bear inside an apartment complex under construction. But the animal escaped through a window opening before crews could secure the area.

For residents, the encounter was both unexpected and frightening.

Utah State University student Sarah Craine said she first noticed the commotion after hearing police sirens near her apartment. She planned to check her mail before returning home, but the situation quickly changed.

"I turn around, and there's this little bear cub, and it is just full force, like sprinting right towards me," Craine said.

She said adrenaline took over as she ran from the animal.

"It was definitely the adrenaline kicking in. I had no idea what was going on, so I just started, you know, running for my life," she said.

Wildlife officials said the bear's unpredictable movements made it difficult to track and increased risks for both the animal and the public.

"Especially with it running around like this, that is not ideal for us or for him," Northern Region Wildlife Manager Jim Christensen said. "It can elevate their temperatures."

The pursuit ended when the bear ran into the bull pen at Young Powersports in Logan, giving officers an opportunity to tranquilize it safely.

After the animal was sedated, crews worked to lower its body temperature by pouring water on its paws and armpits, areas officials said are most effective for cooling bears.

Despite the successful capture, wildlife officials ultimately decided to euthanize the bear.

Officials said natural food sources become difficult to find this time of year, and they worried the bear would either return to populated areas and pose a safety risk or struggle to survive if relocated.

"It's kind of looking like the options are here: release it, and it probably either gets into trouble again, gets around people, potentially hurt somebody, or it probably starves to death over a long period of time," said Game Mammals Coordinator Chad Wilson.

The incident comes as wildlife officials report a sharp increase in bear-related calls this year. Wilson said the agency has logged 111 bear incidents so far in 2026, already surpassing the total number reported during all of 2025.

With about two months remaining before bears begin heading to dens for the winter, officials are urging residents to secure garbage, remove attractants and avoid feeding wildlife to reduce human-bear conflicts.

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