Numerous bear sightings were reported in La Ronge last night — including one encounter that saw a local man chased by a bear in a residential area.

Kevin Fontaine says he first noticed the bruin peering out of some bushes, before the bear charged him.

Fontaine says he doesn’t know how long the chase lasted — but he’s grateful the bear broke off the pursuit when he came across a couple and their dogs:

“While I was running, I could hear it right behind me going up the hill there.  All those branches, and me going up the hill there.  And I could just feel it right behind me, running, you could hear it.  Going down the hill, I felt relieved because I met some people down there.”

Fontaine says conservation and RCMP officers responded after the couple called 9-1-1.

Saskatchewan Environment says the bear was spotted shortly after Fontaine’s encounter with it — but at last word, there had been no further sightings of it.  Conservation officers managed to catch another bear that was lurking around the community last night, and have set up a trap for the bear that chased Fontaine.

Officials with Saskatchewan Environment say this year’s cool spring weather may have contributed to the large number of bears showing up in town.

Daryl Minter, a Compliance Manager with Saskatchewan Environment says the berry season is later than usual this year and bears are looking for food.

Minter says there have been many bear sightings in the town and in at least one case the bruins were attracted to garbage.

“They had knocked over the garbage can and there was a large amount of rather ripe garbage that they were beginning to feed on before they got scared away and then another case it was dog food that the bear had got wind of and had gone in and was eating that”

Minter says bird feeders also contain food for bears.

He says six bears have been live-trapped within the Town of La Ronge this summer and all were relocated.

Information on what to do if you encounter a bear can be found at the Saskatchewan Ministry of the Environment website.