OTTER CREEK - Jim and Sue Mayberry of rural Maquoketa were on their way to dinner in Bellevue when they saw a black bear run across a nearby field.

Sue Mayberry said they were on the Bellevue Cascade Road in northern Jackson County about 5:30 p.m. Saturday when it happened.

"It was pretty fascinating," she said. "We called the sheriff's office. Then we stayed along the road and just watched. We watched it crawl under some fences and go up a tree. It was pretty funny because there was a sign that said 'keep out' and it just climbed up that tree."

Jackson County Conservation Board Director Daryl Parker was called and arrived to find the bear sleeping in the tree. He called it a medium-size, 200-pound black bear. Parker believes it is the same bear that has been seen in Dubuque County and other northern Iowa counties during the past few weeks.

"I watched it for 2 1/2 hours. He climbed down and just took off walking," Parker said.

There were additional reports of the bear along Iowa 64 in Preston as well as in a tree line on 320th Avenue, just north of Sugar Creek Church in Clinton County. The bear also was spotted Sunday night near Charlotte.

Jackson County Sheriff Russ Kettmann said he went to see the bear after receiving reports of the animal being spotted. While he was not surprised to see the bear, he was surprised to see it so close to the road.

"The bear was extremely tolerant of people," Parker said. "People were yelling at it and it just ignored them."

Mayberry said that while she and her husband were there, the bear was swinging back and forth in the tree and apparently eating bugs.

"When we came back from dinner, it was amazing. There were all kinds of cars along the road," she said. "I didn't get out, but my husband and son did. You had to climb two fences to get near it."

Parker said the bear is not a carnivore and would pose no harm to humans or livestock.

"It just eats seeds and berries," he said.

Mayberry said she was surprised that the animal was not captured by authorities.

"I just assumed they would capture it. I was surprised to hear they let it be," she added.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials have said it is not illegal to shoot such a bear, but they are asking law enforcement and others not to do that because they would rather see this one continue to wander unless it causes a major problem.