Hibernation is ending: The bears are back in town

Maddie Rhodes

DENVER (KDVR) – Black bears are beginning to wake up from their winter slumber, according to Rocky Mountain National Park, which only means one thing: The bears are back in town (or at least they will be).

Black bears are notorious for causing all sorts of chaos around Colorado from attacking campers to close encounters on hikes – but it’s not just in the woods.

Throughout the years, black bears have been spotted breaking into homes and locked cars, roaming on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, destroying vehicles and stealing anything from garbage to steak.

Beware of hungry bears packing on the pounds before Colorado winter

With the weather warming up and the bears coming out of hibernation, the national park warns the public to be bear-aware.

Here are some reminders from the National Park Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to protect yourself as well as the bears:

Bearproof cars and campsites

  • Never leave food or scented items unattended

  • Keep all food within your reach

  • When hiking, this includes never leaving your backpack unattended, even for a few minutes.

  • Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.

  • Never leave your coolers or other food items in the back of a pickup truck

  • When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.

  • Keep a clean camp, whether you’re 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.

  • When available, use bear lockers to store all food and scented items (lip balm, lotion, soaps, toothpaste, hand wipes, hand sanitizer, anything with a scent).

  • Never place scented items in a tent

  • Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.

Bearproof your home

  • 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.

  • Keep garbage in a well-secured location and only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.

  • Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.

  • Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.

  • Don’t leave pet food or stock feed outside.

  • Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15. Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths

  • Do not attract other wildlife by feeding them, such as deer, turkeys or small mammals.

  • Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, yell at it, throw things at it, make noise to scare it off.

  • Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.

  • Clean the grill after each use.

  • Clean up thoroughly after picnics in the yard or on the deck.

  • If you keep small livestock, keep animals in a fully covered enclosure. Construct electric fencing if possible.

  • Keep garage doors closed.

While there is still snow and winter weather, it’s never too early to be bear-aware.

As early as May of last year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife had already received 173 reports of bear activity in 25 counties.

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