Making A Mountain Out Of A Mole Trap? Facts Laid Bear By City Parks Official

Earlier this week, a Eugene resident posted on a local chat site about finding a “coil spring trap” hidden with fern branches near an open grassy area. Adding to the concern was an animal print nearby that the poster suggested could be from a bear.

Local agencies – including the Eugene Police Department – were contacted about the device.

Kelly Shadwick is with the City of Eugene’s Parks and Open Space Division.  She says the device is actually a mole trap, and poses no risk to park visitors.

“It’s something that’s buried in the ground and is really only tripped by something coming up from underneath the ground,” she explained to KLCC.

“We even mow over these traps so they’re not a danger. But that would be a concern to someone if they saw that.”

Shadwick says there’s been no bears ever sighted in Hendricks Park.  And if there was ever a confirmed bear sighting, they would probably respond with a call to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and not set large traps out for it.

The original post has since disappeared.  At its peak, it was shared to 34 neighborhoods.