Three bears had to be destroyed in La Ronge late last week after several brushes with humans.

Saskatchewan Environment’s Daryl Minter says a sow and her two cubs were spotted repeatedly near the town’s fire hall and high school.

Minter says it became clear to the conservation officers who responded to the final call from the public that the bears had to be put down.

“There was members of the public that encountered the bear as they were along the road there,” he says. “And the bear was not afraid of the humans and was closing the distance between them.”

A fourth bear was initially seen in the area of the Eagle Point golf course last week and was last spotted this morning near the town’s government building.

Minter says it’s actually been a very quiet summer for bears in the La Ronge area, likely because of the wildfires.