Missouri Black Bear Treks 200 Miles, Surfaces by St. Louis

A black bear briefly trapped by Missouri wildlife experts clearly has made some tracks across the state over the past two years, meandering about 200 miles.

St. Louis' KTVI reports the bear nicknamed "Gummy" by Tom Kemper's family was trapped, sedated and inspected Monday on the family's Warren County farm west of St. Louis.

Kemper says a man who cuts hay on his land spotted the bear nine days earlier.

Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologist Tom Meister says the bear first was captured and tagged two years ago in near Springfield, a couple hundred miles from Kemper's farm. Somehow along that way, the bear managed to swim across the Missouri River or cross a bridge.

There are about 300 black bears believed to be in Missouri.