Watch: NH bear alights on car, makes quick work of Mickey D’s takeout

Let’s face it: Most of us can smell McDonald’s french fries from at least 250 paces, and, if it weren’t for the trappings of polite society, would probably be inclined to rummage around in a strange car to find them if necessary. So you can imagine how a bear, with that huge nose and lack of social graces, might react.

Actually, there’s no need to imagine: Police in Jackson, New Hampshire — which you may be familiar with if you’ve visited the nearby Storyland theme park — released a video this week of a bear making quick work of a McDonald’s takeout bag left inside a vehicle while its occupants were inside another local restaurant.

“This Brazen Bruin decided to help himself to a discarded McDonald’s food bag inside a car,” the department wrote on Facebook. “Reminder, ‘Hungry Bear, Don’t Care’ … keep your windows up, doors locked and car clear of snacks! (Especially picinick baskets Yogi!!!)”

Bears have been much less shy around New England in the last year or so, a phenomenon some experts attribute to warmer weather reducing the amount of time bears spend hibernating. You may recall the bear that emerged during a blackout in Marion last October; the multiple sightings in Framingham last spring; and the black bear nicknamed “Boo Boo” who was spotted roaming the South Shore for more than a month last summer, before meeting a untimely demise.

Also we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the classic Associated Press headline from last February, “Alaska woman using outhouse attacked by bear, from below.” In case you needed another reason to never use an outhouse.

Peter Chianca

General Assignment Editor

Peter Chianca, Boston.com’s general assignment editor since 2019, is a longtime news editor, columnist, and music writer in the Greater Boston area.

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