SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Wildlife services were called to a cabin on Monday, Nov. 2 after a group of people had a close encounter with a black bear.

A black bear, similar to the one in the story, was shot at a cabin on Highway 3 earlier this month. - NNSL file photo

Floyd Martin and friends Chris and Marie Blackduck were staying at the camp 15 kilometres past Boundary Creek on highway 3 when they heard dogs barking around midnight.

When they went to investigate, they found a black bear digging at the back of the cabin. The bear then crawled underneath and went to sleep.

"We didn't know what to do," Martin said.

After trying to scare the bear away, they called wildlife officers and left to go stay in the city.

"I was pumped," said Chris Blackduck.

"My adrenaline was running."

They were concerned because it is unusual to see a black bear out at this time of year.

Wildlife officers shot the bear because they felt it would not have survived through the winter due to what they called poor physical conditions.

"It didn't pay attention to us at all," said Raymond Bourget, a wildlife officer who investigated the scene.

"There was dog food around, it didn't go for it or the dogs."

He said bear sightings around this time of the year can vary from season to season.

"It's not a common occurrence but not a rare occurrence either," Bourget said.

"It depends on the weather."

Bourget said that samples were taken from the bear to see what caused its poor condition, but there will be no further investigation other than that.

If Yellowknifers do see a bear, Bourget advises to do what they would do any time of the year.

"Leave it alone and report it to our office," he said.