Colorado: Bears getting hungry as they prepare for a long winter’s nap; wildlife managers urge caution

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A hungry bear climbs into a Dumpster in search of food. Photo courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Forest Service orders special precautions in Vail area

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Numerous encounters between people and bears in the high country have prompted the White River National Forest to require campers to store all food and refuse in a bear-resistant container or inside a vehicle in a sealed container.

“Due to a lack of forage bears are on the hunt for alternative sources of food, campsites and picnic areas can appear, to a bear, an easy target,” said Eagle Holy Cross deputy district ranger Matt McCombs.

“We’ve had multiple encounters at our campgrounds where bears have been rewarded for their efforts … putting their safety and campers at risk.”  McCombs said, “With fall on its way and bears stocking up before hibernation, ensuring campers are being bear aware is the best way to keep everyone safe.” (more…)

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Mountain town news roundup

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Aspen, Telluride and Jackson Hole

Mountain town news.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A U.S. Forest Service assessment of conditions in popular wilderness spots around Aspen suggests the agency may not be living up to its mandate to preserve the wilderness qualities of those areas. More specifically, the report found that, in popular backcountry destinations like Conundrum hot springs, so many people camp and leave their waste that the springs are contaminated with fecal coliform. Read the full wilderness story in the Aspen Daily News.

The Aspen Daily News is also reporting that unusually dry spring weather may be driving hungry bears into town to look for food. Already, state wildlife officials have set traps in the Aspen area to try and capture two nuisance bears. Read the full story here. (more…)

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Colorado: Hungry bear forces Aspen camping restrictions

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Some bears look cute and cuddly from afar, but they can cause trouble when habituated to humans and human food. PHOTO COURTESY USFSW.

Forest Service temporarily limits camping to hard-sided campers at Difficult campground

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — He might not be quite as smart as Yogi, but a black bear in the Aspen area seems to know that a campground might be an easy place to score a free meal.

Repeated sightings of the bear in the Difficult Campground, 6 miles east of the Aspen, have prompted Forest Service officials to enact camping restrictions, with to tents or soft-sided trailers or campers permitted for the time being. As per normal precautions, all unattended food and coolers must be contained in a bear box or locked vehicle and all garbage must be disposed of in trash containers. (more…)

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Colorado bears emerging from hibernation

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Bears that become habituated to food from human sources can be a problem, and it's a situation that usually doesn't end well for the bear. PHOTO COURTESY COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

Wildlife experts focus on educating residents on living with wildlife

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — With early bear sightings reported along the Front Range and in the high country, state wildlife managers are once encouraging residents to take steps to avoid unwanted close encounters with the wild animals.

“So far the reports that we’ve received have been mostly just sightings – people seeing bears,” said Cory Chick, Area Wildlife Manager for Colorado Springs. “But it’s a very good time to remind people that trash is the number one bear attractant and people can do their part by following some simple rules at home.”

The unseasonably warm weather of the past few weeks is luring the omnivores out of their dens. Bear sightings have been reported in Colorado Springs, Aspen, Durango and Summit County. (more…)

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Colorado: Hungry bears spur warnings for campers, hikers

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Hungry bears preparting for hibernation present a potential risk to campers in Colorado.

Recent Aspen-area maulings underscore seriousness of warnings

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — State and federal resource managers are making a late-summer push to minimize potentially dangerous encounters between people and bears by focusing on education and outreach.

“National Forests are bear country,” White River National Forest officials said in a press relase. “It’s their home and we are the visitors. Whether camping or hiking on a National Forest, in the front country or in the back country; if you are doing it on National Forest System lands, you are in bear country and need to be prepared to share the forest with the bears.”

Local information for Summit County will be offered Sept. 8 during a Bear Aware session at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge at 6:30 p.m. (more…)

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Colorado: Bike-race campers warned of bear encounters

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Some race fans camping along the route of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will be in the heart of bear habitat, and state wildlife managers are trying to educate campers about how to avoid and unwated encounter. PHOTO COURTESY MICHAEL SERAPHIN/COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

Unwanted confrontations can be avoided by locking up food and keeping a clean camp

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado’s bears are trying to fatten themselves up for the winter just as the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is set to wind through the state’s mountains, and with thousands of cycling fans from around the country expected to camp along the route, state wildlife managers say they concerned about the potential for unwanted human-bear encounters.

The cautions come just after a bear entered and damaged two tents in the Difficult Campground near Aspen. Due to the increasing number of incidents involving bears in this campground during the past few weeks, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U. S. Forest Service mutually agreed to restrict the site to hard-sided camping only.

“We decided to err on the side of caution and protect human health and safety,” said Perry Will, a state wildlife manager. “Based on the bear situation in this campground, we don’t think camping in a tent is safe.”

According to the Difficult Campground host, the site is fully booked next Monday and Tuesday night as cycling fans had planned to camp overnight and watch the race as it passes over Cottonwood Pass and Independence Pass into Aspen on Wednesday, Aug. 24. It is likely the restrictions will remain in place as the race progresses through the area and fans are advised to make other arrangements if they were planning to sleep in tents. (more…)

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Colorado: Prime feeding time for bears is just ahead

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Jenney Coberly

Dry conditions in southern Colorado prompt warnings from wildlife managers

Breckenridge resident Jane Hendrix photographed a bear trundling down Lone Hand Way in the Peak 7 neighborhood early Friday morning, July 22

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — With natural food sources in short supply this year, bears in southern Colorado are entering homes, garages and sheds, as well as breaking into chicken coops and damaging beehives.
Wildlife officers reacted to the higher-than-normal number of bear incidents by asking resident and vacationers in southern Colorado to take extra care to avoid attracting hungry bears.

“This has been a below average year for natural food for bears,” said Cory Chick, an area wildlife manager in Colorado Springs. “During the summer, bears depend on green, palatable vegetation and bugs and other critters they find under rocks and logs as their primary food sources. But those natural food sources are harder to find in dry conditions.”

Although this specific warning concerns southern Colorado, Summit County is also prime bear habitat and there are frequent bear sightings in local neighborhoods, most recently Friday morning in the Peak 7 neighborhood near Breckenridge. (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge, Colorado, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Summit County Colorado, wildlife, wildlife | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Colorado: Bear killed after biting camper near Leadville

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

A Colorado black bear. PHOTO COURTESY COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE.

Wildlife officials say the early morning attack was unprovoked

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado Division of Wildlife officers killed a bear today (July 15) near Leadville after the animal injured a teenager in what is thought to be an unprovoked attack.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said the attack happened at about 3:30 a.m. Friday morning when the teen woke up as a black bear bit into his leg.

The victim fought off the bear and other campers scared the bear out of the area. Hundreds of campers are in the Twin Lakes area for the Colorado Bowhunters Association annual Jamboree. (more…)

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Colorado finalizes ban on hunting bears in dens

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Wildlife agency also up bear licenses by 17 percent

Colorado adopts a ban on hunting bears in dens, but ups bear licenses by 17 percent. PHOTO COURTESY MICHAEL SERAPHIN, CDOW.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Colorado Wildlife Commission last week finalized regulations that ban hunting or harassment of black bears in their dens. The new regulation was prompted by an incident last year, when a hunter near Craig tracked a a large black bear to a cave, entered the cave and killed the bear.

The Craig bear killing elicited a critical public reaction, spurring wildlife managers to consider the change. The ban was first discussed at meeting in January 2011, when the commission directed staff to draft a new regulation. The regulation was reviewed in March and approved the commission last week in Salida. (more…)

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Morning photos: Beauty and the bear

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Summer is so nice …

MATT KRANE sent in this vibrant photo of a moss rose after a rainstorm, just in time to make our morning photo for Tuesday.

SUMMIT COUNTY — We’re just under the wire with the morning photo, but it was worth waiting for, especially if you were getting tired of ‘shroom pictures. After the break, Matt describes his experience with a neighbor bear. Click here >>>> (more…)

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