SHEFFIELD - A bruin shot June 23 was "just a good old common black bear" that may have spent time in captivity, according to a furbearer specialist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The 6-foot-10-inch, 300-pound animal was killed on Jay Sheriff's farm four miles west of Sheffield. The shooter was a neighbor, Todd Hall, who said the bear charged.

Authorities at Iowa State University analyzed the animal's muscle tissue, stomach contents and DNA in an attempt to determine something about the bear's history.

Andrews said the North American black bear was "dripping with fat." Typically, though, such bears don't gain weight until the fall when they prepare to hibernate.

No one apparently spotted the bear previously in the open countryside, and its claws showed signs of wear and tear, typical of a confined animal.

"Circumstantial evidence points toward a bear that was in captivity, either escaped or was turned loose," Andrews said. "That's about all we'll ever know."

Ben Bergman, a conservation officer with the DNR, noted black bears are not a protected species in Iowa. He added more information may be difficult to determine.

"The answers lie entirely with the people who shot it or who witnessed it - how it got there, why it was there," Bergman said. "There's no more investigation or prodding I really should do."

Contact Dick Johnson at dick.johnson@globegazette.com.