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Colorado Man Attacked by Bear in His Backyard, Luckily Had a Firearm on Hand

A Colorado man managed to escape a pretty dangerous situation when he was attacked by a bear in his backyard over the weekend.

Out There Colorado reports that around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday (October 1st), the man was out in his New Castle backyard when the bear appeared. The startled animal knocked the man over and he grabbed his gun with his other hand. Quickly thinking about how to get out of the situation, the man fired three shots. The animal became spooked and ran off. 

The man was then taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries to his hand, arm, and chest. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife began searching for the bear shortly after the incident. However, wildlife officials were unable to find the bear. Canon City Daily Record further reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials will return to the area on Monday (October 3rd) to search for the bear. But the search may become more difficult since it heavily rained after the attack. The agency did not state whether it is going to relocate or euthanize the bear.

It remains unclear if the man shot the bear. The homeowner was released from the hospital hours after being admitted. The media outlet reports that this is the second time a bear attack has occurred in New Castle this year. The first attack happened last month when one of the large animals attacked a woman while she was closing her hot tub lid. She ended up with a severe laceration on her arm. 

In that situation, the bear was found and euthanized. One of her three cubs was also killed. The other two were reportedly taken to a rehabilitation facility for evaluation. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Reports that Human-Bear Conflicts Have Increased in Recent Years 

On its website, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife reveals that human-bear conflicts have increased in recent years. In response, Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced support local communities, municipalities businesses, and non-profit organizations for projects to minimize the conflicts. This in return will communities money and protect the health and safety of Coloradans. 

“We are making sure that more people have the tools and resources needed to keep people and property safe, and save money, while protecting Colorado’s iconic black bear population,” Governor Polis explained. “These projects like bear-proof garbage cans make our communities safer, save people money, and help protect Colorado’s iconic wildlife.”

Governor Polis signed HB 21-1326, which provides funding for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The funding will include $1 million for native species conservation. It will be distributed to local communities with the goal of reducing human-bear conflicts. 

Along with offering grants, a Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Advisory has also been established.