Polk County (WQOW) - A jury sides with a Polk County farmer, on trial for shooting a bear. Don Sundvall, from Turtle Lake, says he was defending his property.
Last July he says he woke very early to find one of his calves dead, and another missing. He suspected a bear was to blame, and called a DNR warden and the Polk County Sheriff's Department. They told him not to shoot the bear and to call the USDA, which handles such cases, but by the time the USDA called back, the bear was already dead.
Sundvall says as soon as it was light out, he and a farmhand went looking for the bear and shot it.
Sundvall was on trial for killing a bear without a license, and out-of-season. After deliberating for a little over an hour this evening the jury sided with Sundvall, finding him not guilty on both counts.
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Polk County (WQOW) - A battle over a bear is shaking out in a Polk County courtroom. Don Sundvall, from Turtle Lake, is on trial for shooting a bear on his farm last July.
He says he woke up very early to find one of his calves dead next to his house, and another missing. Sundvall suspected a bear was to blame, and called a DNR warden and the Polk County Sheriffs Department. They told him not to shoot the bear and to call the USDA, which handles such cases. But by the time the USDA called back, the bear was already dead. Sundvall says as soon as it got light, he and a farmhand started looking for the bear, and found it laying on top of the missing calf, which was dead. The bear then ran off, and Sundvall shot it.
He's on trial for killing a bear without a license, and out-of-season. Sundvall maintains he was justified because the law allows him to defend himself or his property. The DNR maintains the bear had already left the area and was killed 3.5 hours later and was no longer a threat.
A jury is hearing the case, and is expected to return a verdict Wednesday.
