The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has received several reports of bears getting into bird feeders, ponds, trash, and attempting to enter homes in your neighborhood. 

On Thursday evening, at 3 AM, a young bear broke into a home on Old Ranch Trail.  He gained entry via a sliding glass door and proceeded to eat contents of the freezer.  His description matched that of a bear that had been seen pushing through screened windows and poking his head into open doors in other parts of the neighborhood. Due to his escalating behavior, DOW put this bear down this morning to protect public safety. Because this bear’s behavior was increasingly bold, in order to protect public safety the DOW captured and euthanized the bear. 

“This bear’s scat was full of bird seed and other human-provided food,” said Officer Vicki Vargas Madrid. “Even if residents don’t think they are contributing to the problem with bears when they feed birds, they often are.  Please take down any birdfeeders you have up until after Thanksgiving – a bear’s life does truly depend on it.”

DOW provides a wealth of materials that citizens can access on how to bear-proof your home, including a landscaping handout, “Attracting Birds, Not Bears.”  Please check out and download this helpful information online at www.wildlife.state.co.us/bears. 

If you do not have internet access, or would like to talk with someone about living in bear country, please call the DOW at 303-291-7227.  

Both the DOW and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office ask Roxborough residents to take all the necessary steps to bear-proof their homes and help ensure the safety of the public, as well as the bears.  Be a good neighbor and as assist your elderly neighbors to this end, as well as encourage others to clean up attractants around their home.