Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Sean Williams, left, and Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike McGregor, with the bear that attacked men in two incidents Tuesday.

A bear weighing roughly 150 pounds attacked three people in two separate incidents on residential property in northern Minnesota before it was quickly tracked down and shot dead, authorities said.

The encounters occurred late Tuesday morning at residences close to each other near McDougal Lake in Isabella, just off Hwy. 1, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Two of the three men targeted by the adult male black bear were injured but not critically, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

Bear attacks on humans are rare, and that's especially true at this time of year, when they should be hibernating through the winter.

In the first encounter, 68-year-old homeowner Bill Vagts was attacked while the bear was taking after his dog, Vagts' wife told sheriff's deputies and state conservation officers.

Vagts was bitten on the torso after he jumped on the bear's back, said Capt. Tom Provost, the DNR's regional conservation officer supervisor.

"We all know emotions can get the best of us," Provost said, referencing Vagts' decision to go after the bear Davy Crockett-style. "But you are taking a huge risk doing this. You need to balance what's important to you."

Advisable or not, Vagts' leap of faith spared his dog, authorities said.

Shortly afterward and roughly 150 yards away, the bear went after 58-year-old Daniel C. Boedeker and 54-year-old Gary N. Jerich while the Ely-based carpenters were on a construction job at a residential garage, the Sheriff's Office continued.

The animal first attacked Jerich, and Boedeker was bitten on the arm while coming to the aid of his co-worker.

The bear was soon located in the vicinity, and a deputy shot it shortly after noon, the Sheriff's Office said. The bear is now heading to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities for a necropsy, which may reveal clues about why it was not hibernating as nature ordains.

Before the bear was tracked down, authorities issued a Code Red emergency notification to residents in the McDougal Lake area advising them that a bear had attacked someone. The notification warned residents to not approach the bear if spotted and notify the Sheriff's Office.