Bear traps in place in Michigan City

DNR officers in Michigan City are now using traps baited with a bacon and honey substance to try and lure the elusive black bear that's been roaming LaPorte County.

It's not everyday a bear shows up in your backyard.

Theresa Schwanke, a Michigan City resident, says she and her husband were just a few feet away from the bear everyone's been talking about.

“It was scary for that fact that my husband was on the deck with him. I don’t know if he’s dangerous or what he’s going to do," said Schwanke.

Fortunately for Schwanke and her family, the bear didn't cause any damage.

“He didn’t put his paws on my door, he put his nose on it, but he never put his paws on it like he wanted to come through," said Schwanke.

Schwanke first saw the bear at her neighbor's front yard, rummaging through bird feeders. Then, the black bear made his way up Schwanke's deck stairs.

Although Schwanke would like to see the bear caught for other people's safety, she never felt threatened by it.

“I don’t want to see anyone get hurt nor do I want to see that bear get hurt because I thought he was just the coolest thing," said Schwanke.

This past Saturday, the Department of Natural Resources in Michigan City made a decision to add one more bear trap.

The trap is set with a substance with a honey and bacon aroma.

DNR official Bud Veverka is confident that adding another trap will speed up the process of capturing the bear.

“We’re trying to be a step ahead of him and think about what potential sites he might use next and put the traps there. We don’t want to be a step behind him and constantly put the traps somewhere he’s already been that previous night," says Veverka.