Black Bear Rests in Tree Between 2 Boulder County Homes

Q: With Colorado bear encounters surging, what unexpected tactic might wildlife officials use once the resting Gunbarrel bear finally climbs down?

Wildlife officials may try to **haze the bear with a K-9 unit** after it climbs down, using a trained dog to scare it away from homes and reinforce its fear of people. That would fit Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s broader response to the surge in bear encounters. CPW often lets tree-perched bears come down on their own because tranquilizing them in a tree can be risky. But once a bear is back on the ground, officers increasingly rely on hazing tactics to push it out of neighborhoods before it becomes habituated to human food sources. CPW’s K-9 program, including Officer Ian Petkash and his Belgian Malinois Samson, has been used specifically to haze bears that get too close to homes and campsites. The goal is not to capture the animal immediately, but to make the experience unpleasant enough that it avoids residential areas in the future. That approach matters because Colorado has seen rising bear reports tied largely to unsecured trash, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants. Officials say many neighborhood bears are not aggressive; they are food-motivated. If the Gunbarrel bear simply comes down and moves off, crews may just monitor it. But if it lingers or returns, a dog-assisted hazing response is one of the more unexpected tools CPW could use.

Q: Could your unsecured backyard grill be the hidden reason a massive black bear is currently sleeping in your neighbor's tree?

Yes—an unsecured grill could be one of the reasons a black bear ends up in a neighborhood, and possibly in a tree nearby. In the Gunbarrel case, officials said the bear appeared to be resting, not acting aggressively, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s usual approach is to monitor treeed bears because they often come down on their own. But wildlife experts also say bears in residential areas are commonly drawn in by food attractants around homes. Grills are on that list, along with trash, pet food, bird feeders, compost, fallen fruit, and even open car windows. A dirty grill can smell like an easy meal because of grease, meat residue, and drippings. Bears have a powerful sense of smell, and when natural food is limited—as Colorado has seen during dry, warm periods—they are more likely to roam into neighborhoods looking for calories. Once there, a bear may climb a tree simply to rest, avoid people, or wait until the area quiets down. That does not mean one specific backyard grill caused this bear to climb this particular tree. There is no evidence from this incident identifying a single attractant. But CPW has repeatedly linked rising bear conflicts to unsecured human food sources, and grills are a known example. The practical takeaway is clear: clean grills after use, burn off residue, store them in a garage or secure area if possible, keep trash locked, remove pet food and bird seed, and avoid giving bears any reason to return.

3 articles · Updated · Boulder Daily Camera · Jul 27

A black bear was seen resting on tree branches around 11:45 a.m. Monday in Gunbarrel, lying between two homes on Driftwood Place with its tongue out and chest visibly huffing.
Photos shared by Boulder Twin Lakes Inn general manager Nyla Prasad showed the bear on its belly, on its side and looking down at people below after she drove around the block to find it.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife and animal control personnel watched the bear as it stayed in the tree, and officials told Prasad to keep back after she got too close.
Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said she was unaware of any crews responding, adding that bears are often left alone in trees because they usually come down on their own.