NEAR WEBSTER (NBC 26) — After spotting a black bear in her backyard, Wautoma resident Teri Jo Fendler decided she wanted to be prepared if that animal or another bear ever returned. So, she enlisted the help of a hunting guide from the Webster area to learn how to properly hunt a bear. What began as a safety concern quickly became a determined mission — one that would test her patience, skills, and resilience.
Fendler, who faced health challenges and mobility limitations, hired a professional hunting guide to teach her the right way to track and hunt bears. Within days of training around the Webster area, she got the opportunity she had been waiting for.
“Got my bear… one‑time experience… and I’m going to quit while I’m ahead,” Fendler said.
She learned that despite their size, bears can move through the woods in near silence. Her final hunt took place near Webster, Wisconsin, and patience paid off — the bear appeared just 15 minutes before the end of her last day.
The animal was nearly twice the size of an average 300‑pound black bear, which was much bigger than the one she saw outside her home in Wautoma.
“When he looked at me and took two steps forward… that was scary,” she recalled. “But I stayed still, scent‑blocked head to toe. I was coming home with a bear one way or another.”
One clean shot brought the bear down within 20 yards. The massive hide — measuring nine feet tall — will stretch from floor to ceiling, and some of the meat will be served as tenderloin.
“It still gives me goosebumps. I can’t believe it happened to me,” Fendler said.
Wisconsin’s bear hunting season continues through October 7. Those curious about what it takes to track and hunt a bear can find more information here.
