Colorado Parks and Wildlife reports above-average number of bear conflicts this year

This year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reporting an above-average number of bear conflicts and sightings in the state compared to previous years. The agency has received 4,644 bear reports between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1 this year.

That's a significant increase from the 3,414 reports during the same period in 2023. According to CPW, this year's total ranks as the third-highest since 2019 and exceeds the six-year average of 4,247 bear-related conflicts and sightings reported to CPW.

CPW says there are an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 bears in Colorado and most reports involve bears trying to access human food. The agency said it's calling on Coloradans to remove things that might attract bears. 

"Bears are biologically driven to seek out the highest calorie food sources they can get while using as little energy as possible," said Area 15 Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta, who oversees La Plata and surrounding counties, in a statement. "To reduce conflicts with bears, people must remain vigilant year-round. Please use bear-resistant containers for your trash, lock your vehicles, lock your homes and windows, close your garage doors, and remove fruit that has fallen on the ground."    

CPW said food availability is a big reason bears slow their activity during winter months. Wildlife experts said if food remains available year-round, due to people not securing their trash, bird seed or pet food, bears will remain active all year. 

Additional Information from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

CPW promotes bear aware principles year-round, aiming to minimize interactions that put both humans and bears at risk. Being bear aware includes easy-to-execute behaviors such as:

• Securing trash cans and dumpsters
• Removing bird feeders
• Closing garages doors even when at home
• Cleaning and locking your car and house doors
• Calling CPW when bears become a nuisance. When you call to report a bear coming near your home, CPW can give you tips tailored to your situation to prevent them from coming around in the future. 

CPW also provides local Colorado communities with financial resources through its Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant Program, which supports efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts. This spring, CPW offered up to $1 million in grants distributed through a competitive process.

Drought conditions and other factors affecting natural food availability for bears vary across the state, as do human behaviors around bear interactions. Below are localized perspectives from Area Wildlife Managers about bears, food conditions and human activity in their areas this year.

Map of Wildlife Management Area boundaries.

Area 1 - Clear Creek, Gilpin, Park and west side of Jefferson counties
"Bear-human conflicts seem to have increased. Natural food shortages were not an issue this year, so one would think conflicts should have decreased. However, wildlife officers continue to deal with trash and bird/hummingbird feeder issues. Area 1 as a whole is still dealing with bears that have learned over the years, from foraging on these unnatural food sources, that it's okay to be around humans and take more chances by entering houses/cabins. This dangerous behavior is not encouraging and reinforces the learned progression of negative behaviors in bears. The number of bears killed by vehicles increased again, from 10 last year to 12 this year," said Area 1 Wildlife Manager Mark Lamb.

Area 2 - Boulder, Broomfield, the southern portion of Larimer counties including Loveland, portions of southwestern Weld County
"Human-bear interactions have been high this year in Area 2. Trash, bird seed, beehives, livestock, tents, homes/garages, vacation cabins, vehicles, crops and pet food have all been targets. The public should haze bears using whatever methods they are comfortable with (noise, bear spray, water hose, etc.). Residents should report bear incidents to CPW during business hours or to State Patrol Dispatch after hours at 303-239-4501," said Area 2 Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch.

Area 3 - Northeastern Colorado
No reported bear activity in Area 3 in 2024.

Area 4 - Larimer and Weld counties
"Area 4 had an average conflict year, with most issues involving food sources. Natural food sources were average as we are dealing with the effects of drought. Bears were seen using the fire scars to eat rose hips and raspberries that repopulate the burned areas. Sightings of bears were way up in the Greater Fort Collins area as bears searched for food. Bear issues and sightings are continuing because we experienced a warm and dry fall," said Assistant Area 4 Wildlife Manager Brandon Muller.

Area 5 - Denver Metro Area counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson and portions of Broomfield County)
"Bear activity and human conflict continued to be an issue in 2024. Residents are reminded to secure their trash and not put it out until the morning of trash pickup. Residents are also reminded to close their garage doors, lock their cars and remove bird feeders/hummingbird feeders to prevent bears from becoming habituated. Drought conditions exist in most of Area 5 and natural food sources for bears remain inconsistent across the area. Residents are also reminded that feeding bears is illegal and creates a public safety issue," said Area 5 Wildlife Manager Matt Martinez.

Area 6 - Rio Blanco and Moffat counties
"This year, there has been a rise in human-bear interactions in Area 6 compared to previous years. This increase is believed to be due to a higher bear population and a shortage of natural food such as berries and acorns in some areas, caused by a cold and wet spring and a late frost in mid-June. The number of game damage claims varied across the area, with some places experiencing very few conflicts and others experiencing conflicts above average calls with nuisance and depredating bears. Once there was enough natural food available, conflicts between bears and livestock, mainly domestic sheep, decreased significantly in some areas," said Area 6 Wildlife Manager Johnathan Lambert.

Area 7 - Grand Junction; Mesa and Garfield counties
"Human-bear conflict numbers in Mesa and western Garfield county doubled from 2023. The sharp increase in conflicts are in the areas of Parachute, Rifle, Silt, and New Castle. This was largely due to the lack of natural food sources available and bears getting habituated to roaming residential areas in these communities. Additionally, there was an increase in bears moving across roadways this summer resulting in an increase in bears killed by vehicles. It continues to be an ongoing effort with communities to work on reducing attractions in and around residential areas," said Area 7 Wildlife Manager Kirk Oldham.

Area 8 - Aspen, Glenwood Springs; Eagle and Pitkin counties
Much of Area 8 experienced an abnormally cold spring followed by a series of late frosts which eliminated most of our berry and acorn crops. Bears were provided mild relief from a bumper crop of insects and late summer rain events which bolstered grass growth however many bears had already resorted to human related food sources by then. Our communities saw a high degree of conflict, many of which were severe in nature. Bears were frequently reported entering buildings and houses. We would like to remind people that bears getting indoors creates an extremely dangerous scenario. Small actions such as closing and locking doors and windows goes a long way in preventing harm to both humans and bears. Additionally, in the past month area staff in the past month have observed several instances of sows abandoning or orphaning cubs. This behavior is generally associated with poor natural food conditions causing sows to prioritize their own survival over their offspring," said Area 8 Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita.

Area 9 - Breckenridge, Hot Sulphur Springs and Granby; Grand and Summit counties
"Although reports are down slightly this year, Area 9 continues to see unnecessary human-bear conflicts with bears. This is mainly a result of poor trash management and unlocked and/or opened doors and windows. We are thankful that some residents are being responsible and have taken action to live with wildlife, but it ultimately takes a community effort. We continue to ask residents and guests to remove attractants, secure their homes, camp responsibly, and remember to lock their vehicles. It takes everyone doing their part to care for Colorado's wildlife," said Area 9 Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington.

Area 10 - Steamboat Springs; Jackson and Routt counties
"Area 10 had a good spring and early summer with ample moisture, leading to a great mast crop and natural forage situation for our bears in late summer and fall. Human-bear conflicts in and around municipalities, including Steamboat Springs, were manageable and the number of conflicts were average to below average during the summer. The combination of mast crop production, other natural forage, and educational awareness may have led to a reduction in conflicts this year in Area 10," said Area 10 Wildlife Manager Kris Middledorf.

Area 11 - Pueblo, Trinidad, South-Central Colorado
Area 11 observed a 27% decrease in overall bear incidents and sightings in 2024 compared to the previous year. An abundance of food throughout the foothills and higher elevations has led to decreased conflicts and lower hunter harvest overall. The majority of human-bear interactions within the area have been a result of unnecessary conflict due to poor trash management, storage of pet food, and unprotected beehives. We ask residents of southern Colorado to secure their trash by utilizing a bear-resistant dumpster. We also ask residents and visitors to lock their cars, secure their homes and remove any attractants to prevent any conflicts with bears. For advice and tips, folks can reach out to local district wildlife managers to help bear-proof their residence," said Area 11 Wildlife Manager Mike Brown.

Area 12 - Southeastern Colorado
No reported bear activity in Area 12 in 2024. 

Area 13 - Chaffee, Fremont and Lake counties 
"The Upper Arkansas Valley, including the area around Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, and Cañon City, had a below-average bear conflict season. The area received consistent precipitation during the spring and summer and natural forage production was good. Reports of bear activity around homes have still been steady throughout the area and we continue to encourage people to remove and minimize attractants around their homes. Attractants include bird feeders, fallen fruit, and, of course, trash.

CPW's recommendations to reduce conflicts with wildlife, including bears, only work if homeowners and visitors consistently follow the suggestions. The Upper Arkansas Valley has experienced increased conflicts with bears and hobby farming operations. More people live in rural areas and raise a variety of livestock. We encourage hobby producers to secure and protect their animals. A small amount of prevention will reduce conflicts and safeguard livestock," said Area 13 Wildlife Manager Sean Shepherd

Area 14 - Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs; El Paso and Teller counties
"In the Colorado Springs area, we had a relatively mild bear conflict year. We started out with several conflicts due to drought but fortunately we received a lot of rain in mid-June which improved the availability of natural food sources. The city trash ordinance on the west side of town has helped reduce conflicts over the last few years. We continue encouraging people to keep their garage doors closed and secure all food and scent attractants," said Area 14 Wildlife Manager Tim Kroening.

Area 15 - Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata and Montezuma counties
"Area 15 saw an increase in human-bear conflict incidents this year. The acorn crop was spotty and not abundant this year but the berry crop was fair in most places. Despite the natural food conditions, domestic fruit trees around towns and private lands produced good fruit which attracted bears. Of note was the number of sows observed with triplets and quadruplets this year, which is a sign of good reproductive success this past denning season. Through the CPW Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant Program, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe was able to provide 100 tribal members with upgraded bear-resistant trash cans and the USFS Columbine Ranger District was able to secure 20 food lockers to be placed in campgrounds that have experienced human-bear conflicts related to improperly stored food. These and other ongoing efforts from CPW and local partners will help reduce future human-bear conflicts," said Area 15 Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta.

Area 16 - Gunnison Basin, North Fork Valley
Despite the abundance of natural forage on the landscape, Area 16 is having a significant bear conflict season. Both the Gunnison Basin and the North Fork Valley required considerable response time from our district wildlife managers. In many instances, conflicts were avoidable and could have been prevented through standard best management practices. However, Area 16 also responded to several dangerous bear reports as well as livestock depredation, which entailed a more significant response. Our bear populations seem to be on the upswing, so now is not the time to get complacent on bear-proofing our properties and businesses, and we need to be thinking about ways to mitigate livestock-bear conflicts. If communities want to start somewhere, it should be with trash management and determining ways to reduce the availability of trash for bears. Trash management is a challenging topic for many reasons, but if we're ever going to gain ground in our local communities, trash must be managed. We don't intend to try and trap our way out of bear conflict – it won't work. We have to learn to collectively live with bears where they occur in Colorado," said Area 16 Wildlife Manager Brandon Diamond.

Area 17 - San Luis Valley
"Bear conflict reports were below average in Area 17 this year. Trash is still the leading cause of human-bear conflict, but fruit is also a major attractant for bears across our area. We remind the public to be vigilant about picking up fallen fruit this fall to keep bears away from residential areas. Securing trash properly is the best way to prevent conflict and keep our bears wild," said Area 17 Wildlife Manager Rick Basagoitia.

Area 18 - Incorporating Montrose, Delta, Mesa Ouray and San Miguel counties
"After a significant drop in reported bear incidents in 2023 from 2022, bear conflict was back to the five-year average in Area 18 in 2024. That isn't uncommon, as we've seen big swings year-to-year in reported bear conflict in this area. Bears getting into unlocked vehicles to access food remains an issue for the area along with bear conflict with livestock. Fruit trees also continue to be a leading attractant, especially in areas where acorns and chokecherries didn't fully develop in abundance this year. We remain vigilant in working with our local communities on removing attractants and reminding people to always lock their car doors and close windows to prevent damage caused when bears are able to access whatever they smelled inside that drew them to the vehicle," Southwest Region Public Information Officer John Livingston.

Become bear aware
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers a reminder that by taking some simple precautions, you can avoid human/wildlife conflicts and help to keep bears wild. 

At home:

• Keep garbage in a well-secured location. Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
• Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
• Keep garage doors closed.
• Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
• Don't leave pet food or stock feed outside.
• Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
• Don't allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, haze it by yelling, throwing things at it and making loud noises to scare it off.
• Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
• Clean the grill after each use and clean up thoroughly after cookouts.
• If you have fruit trees, don't allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
• Talk to your neighbors and kids about being bear aware.

When camping or traveling:

• Lock your doors when you're away from home and at night.
• Keep the bottom floor windows of your house closed when you're not at home.
• Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.
• When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.
• Keep a clean camp, whether in a campground or in the backcountry.
• When camping in the backcountry, hang food 100 feet or more from the campsite; don't bring any food into your tent.
• Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.

Protecting your chickens, bees and livestock:

• Keep chickens, bees and livestock in a fully covered enclosure, especially at night. 
• Construct electric fencing when possible.
• Don't store livestock feed outside.
• Keep enclosures clean to minimize animal odors. 
• As a scent deterrent, hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure.