If you happen to see a wild bear, police in North Adams, Massachusetts have a sensible—if weirdly specific—recommendation: “Chasing bears through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet is strongly not advised.”

“Yes that really did happen tonight,” explained the North Adams Police Department in a post on social media Monday. From Facebook:

The hatchet man was taken into protective custody due to his incapacitation from the consumption of alcoholic beverage. We are still trying to figure out what his end game was. Any thoughts on what he was going to do if he did locate it? We would certainly like to hear because we have no idea.

In lieu of drunken hatchet chases, police suggest a much more reasonable (and significantly less fun-sounding) course of action.

“If you see a bear, LEAVE IT ALONE and call us,” wrote the department’s unnamed, exasperated spokesperson. “We certainly don’t need anyone going all Davy Crockett chasing it through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet.”

North Adams Police have yet to make a statement regarding urban, sober or better-sharpened bear chases.

[Image via Shutterstock]