The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has closed hiking trails at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington because of the apparent bold behavior of a black bear there that followed and approached a female hiker early Friday afternoon.

DEEP's wildlife staff say the male bear — which is approximately 1½ years old and possibly weighs about 150 pounds — followed the woman for quite some time shortly after noon.

It also approached and circled her when she stopped walking and at one point it appears that its mouth made contact with the hiker's leg, the DEEP said in a news release.

The hiker was not injured in the incident, DEEP said.

Dennis Schain, communications director for DEEP, said the department responded immediately when the woman made it to their building at Sessions.

"Our Wildlife staff went out right away to try to locate and euthanize the bear," Schain stated in an email. "They saw it but were not able to take action before it disappeared into dense woods."

He added that the department did set a trap at that location.

"Our EnCon officers and Wildlife biologists are keeping an eye out for the bear and will respond to any reports of its presence. We will euthanize it if we have the opportunity to do so," Schain said. "That is the appropriate action to take after seeing this bear’s behavior today."

Video of the bear taken by the woman showed tags on its ears that had been placed there by DEEP staff in previous dealings with it.

DEEP records show the bear was first tagged as a yearling in its winter den as part of the agency's effort to track the bear population, and was also captured and relocated at least one other time.

DEEP has posted signs at Sessions Woods notifying hikers the trails are closed until further notice.

"DEEP staff had a chance to talk with this woman after her encounter with the bear," Schain said. "We are relieved she was not injured. This was certainly an unusual incident, as bears do not often approach people."