700-pound bear killed in Wisconsin

The local Eau Claire newspaper discusses the controversy over this bear because of a dispute as to whether it was killed by a deer hunter or whether it was killed by a combine, and thus the DNR and others are arguing over possession of the carcass:

Phyllis Schlough said they were disappointed in their former neighbors, who allegedly shot the bear.

"I hope they prosecute them good. You let them hunt your land, then they shoot a bear and leave it for you to hit in the dark with a combine," she said.

Beyond that, the impressive aspect is the sheer size of this animal. There may be an element of perspective-distortion in the photo, but the weight is not in dispute, because it was weighed on a scale at a meat locker - 618 pounds after field dressing, so probably about 700 pounds live. And this occurred not up in the north woods by the Canadian border, but at a farm between Mpls/St. Paul and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

It's sad that the animal was shot. Blogged for the magnificence of the animal.

(Via Arbroath, who, though he blogs several thousand miles away from me, finds my local news before I do!!)