Bear scare.

Bear sightings in western Massachusetts have become increasingly common in recent years. According to state wildlife officials, black bears alone now number at least 2,500 in the region, so it is hardly a surprise that confrontations between humans and bears have also increased.

In early August, for instance, a 300-pound male black bear meandered onto the property of Mrs. and Mrs. Allen Jurkowski in Palmer, then reached through a window of their farmhouse and took a swipe at one of their three Chihuahuas. The dog was not injured, and the bear eventually lumbered off, but according to Al Jurkowski it returned every day or two for a week as if stalking the couple and their pets.

At around 8 p.m. on August 15, the Jurkowskis were watching television when they heard a loud bang coming from the front porch. The bear was back again. Jurkowski told his wife to call 911. As reported by the August 18 Boston Herald, "Palmer police arrived minutes later and chased the bear into the woods with flashlights and sirens," then "told the Jurkowskis not to worry; the bear would probably ...