Medford, Ore. — One Medford man, who lives on the Rogue Valley Country Club Golf Course, came face to face with the bear and though he tells NBC5s Travis Koch it was unlike anything he’s ever seen, police say it’s not uncommon for bears to be sighted in East Medford.
Scott Ashpole, resident: “People are trying to corral him and he started to get confused so he runs to shore and he started coming right for me.
Scott Ashpole took this cell phone video of the bear as it explored the Rogue Valley country club golf course. “I have never seen anything like that ever”
Nearby Lone Pine and Hoover elementary schools were both put on high alert, but police say the bear didn’t approach either school.
Lieutenant Mike Budreau from MPD: “That area is rather common for bear sightings, we’ve seen it probably more than any other area in the city.
It was just two weeks ago that MPD officers were forced to shoot and kill a black bear in west Medford, an area that sees few bear sightings, that bear was close to Washington elementary and kids were just beginning to walk to school.
“That situation was a little different because it was in a very densely populated area.”
Thankfully this bear escaped to Dunbar farms across from the country club, police were on scene chasing it out of the residential area.
“I think he was surprised to see me as I was him, even more if he would have gotten closer.”
Ashpole’s first bear sighting caught on camera in a moment he will never forget.
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