Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary

Wildlife refuge in Orr, MN

Thousands of visitors come to the VSWS every year to see the black bears that inhabit the area and to learn about and view their behavior, habitat, and life cycles. Black bears of all ages visit the sanctuary each season, including large males, females with cubs, yearlings, and sub-adults. From our viewing deck, visitors can observe bears in the meadow below and the surrounding woods interacting with each other, playing, feeding, and even mating.

While on the viewing deck, visitors can walk around to view and photograph the bears and other wildlife. There are staff and interns on deck to answer questions about the bears. Throughout the evening, there are also educational talks given by our staff and interns about the bears and the sanctuary.

There is a gift shop on the viewing platform where visitors can purchase souvenirs and gifts; all proceeds from the gift shop go back into the sanctuary. You can also sign up for our membership package at our gift shop!