North Adams Police Warn Not to Chase Bears

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Hungry black bears have been on the prowl in the area lately searching for food after their long winter's nap.

There's been a lot of news about the creatures and plenty of reports of them lingering in residential areas. But one impaired resident decided to chase one into the woods on Monday night prompting North Adams Police to post a humorous warning on the department's Facebook page:

**Chasing bears through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet is strongly not advised**

The North Adams Police Department is urging everyone to NOT chase bears through the woods with a dull hatchet, drunk. Yes that really did happen tonight. We understand there are bears in the area. If you see a bear, LEAVE IT ALONE and call us. We certainly don't need anyone going all Davy Crockett chasing it through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet. It is just a bad idea and not going to end well. It will however, certainly end you up in jail ... which it did. The hatchet man was taken into protective custody due to his incapacitation from the consumption of alcoholic beverage. We are still trying to figure out what his end game was. Any thoughts on what he was going to do if he did locate it? We would certainly like to hear because we have no idea.

Really, leave the bears alone. It seems like we go through this every year:

Take down bird feeders, secure trash and don't leave pet food outside. No food available and the bears will leave. Failing that, some loud noises, like banging pans, may also deter them.

And whatever you do, don't chase them into the woods — with or without a dull hatchet. #goingDaveyCrockett