Why Is This Wisconsin Island Overrun By Bears?

Oak Island is one of 21 islands in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore — and it's the one the National Park Service once had to close to humans because of bears. With an estimated two to three black bears per square mile, Oak Island carries one of the highest bear densities in Wisconsin. But the story of how it got that way isn't just about bears. It's about old growth forest that survived the logging era, Ojibwe stewardship that shaped the landscape for centuries, and a chain of conservation decisions that locked the door just in time. I went to Oak Island to see it for myself and to tell the story of how history, geography, and a little bit of luck created one of the wildest patches of wilderness left in the Midwest. 🐻 Bear Vault BV1 — the collapsible bear canister I brought on this trip: https://bearvault.com/products/bv-one...