GOLDEN, Colo. — Golden Officials closed a section of the Tucker Gulch Trail in Golden earlier this week because of increased bear activity in the area.
The trail is temporarily closed between 1st Street and 7th Street as pervasive drought conditions continue to push bears to explore more urban areas for food sources.
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Joanna Porter, a community service officer with Golden police, said several bears have come in and out of the area, and they are aware of a sow and two cubs that frequent the area the most.
“The closure is intended to provide a buffer space for the bears, number one, and number two, to create heightened awareness with citizens and trail users,” Porter explained.
“We will kind of move trail barriers based on it for noticing that people are congregating around where the bear's at. Or if there's heightened activity — that we're trying to just make sure that residents are aware of and kind of give that buffer space for the bear,” Porter added.
For residents in the area, a bear sighting isn’t something uncommon.
Greg Van’s backyard sits right near the trail, and he’s used to seeing bears hanging out in his backyard.
“They've been climbing our trees, both here in the back and in front. Our dog alerts us when he just smells them at two and three in the morning,” Van said.
But this year, he and his neighbors have noticed a difference in the bear activity within the area.
Alan Nieman, who also lives near the trail, said, "This year, there's just nothing for the bears to eat, so they're rummaging through the trash and stuff."
Pat Conrad, another resident who was walking his dog in the area, added, “It's been something, and we've all learned right that, like, you don't take the trash out the night before, even with your bungees or what have you”.
He noted that the whole neighborhood was calling the city about the increase in activity.
District wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Officer Sorensen, said Golden has always been a bear habitat.
“It's got everything that they need — and they've been here, and they'll continue to be here,” Sorensen said.
He added that the Gulch specifically is very appealing to them as well.
“It's got a bunch of different food sources that I would consider native to the area: wild plum, serviceberry, rose hips, along with some other, you know, domestically planted stuff like apple trees. They're all going to draw bears in as a natural food source," Sorensen said.
“In addition to that, we've got a high human populace here that has a lot of artificial, non-natural food sources that cause a lot of conflict: bird feeders, unsecured trash, people leaving out attractants that bring bears in that get them into trouble with people,” he added.
CPW reports that Colorado has reported more than 6,000 bear sightings so far across the state — nearly double last year’s numbers.
As bears begin to enter hyperphagia — an instinctive, metabolic change resulting in an almost constant feeding frenzy as the bears prepare for winter hibernation — bear activity is expected to increase while they search for 20,000 calories per day before denning, a CPW spokesperson said.
Those bear sightings have led to 12 attacks so far this year, which have prompted CPW to launch a new education campaign to raise awareness about the record bear activity and how people can prepare to reduce the number of bear conflicts that could potentially lead to more dangerous encounters.
Wildlife officials remind the community that preventing conflicts requires a collective effort. CPW recommends the following BearWise tips to keep bears wild:
- Never feed or approach bears. Intentionally feeding wildlife or letting them find accessible food is illegal. It teaches them to approach homes and lose their natural fear of humans.
- Safely store trash, animal feed and other attractants. Lock up trash receptacles and food scraps to eliminate the powerful odors that attract wildlife to residential properties.
- Never leave pet food outdoors. Feed domestic pets indoors or thoroughly clean up bowls immediately after any outdoor feeding.
- Clean and store outdoor grills. Burn off grease and food particles after every use, and store grills inside a secure garage or shed.
- Secure windows and doors. Keep all bear-accessible windows and doors closed and locked, including garage doors. Bears are excellent climbers, so this includes any top story exterior windows or doors.
- Know what to do if a bear does enter your home. If a bear is in your house, leave immediately if you can safely do so.
- Leave all exit doors open to give the bear a clear escape route, do not block its path, and never try to shoo or corner the animal out of your home. Call 911 immediately and remain outside until wildlife officers have confirmed the bear is out of the home.
· Know what to do if you encounter a black bear:
- If you see a bear before it notices you, don't approach.
- Stop and quietly move away, while giving the bear a clear escape route.
- If a bear sees you, back away slowly. Never run; running may trigger a chase response.
- If a bear approaches, hold your ground, wave your arms and yell, "Hey, bear!" until it leaves.
- If a black bear makes contact with you, do NOT play dead; fight back aggressively.
CPW encourages Coloradans to report bear activity and conflicts by clicking here.
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