Forest Service rangers have recently reported an increase in bear activity in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, prompting rangers to urge campers and hikers to take caution.
“Bears are walking noses,” Patt Dorsey, Area Wildlife Manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife in Durango said in a press release. “Fish, bait and trash produce strong odors. When bears smell food, they will travel for miles to find it. And when they arrive at campgrounds or public fishing areas, conflicts with humans can occur.”
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The Forest Service has been finding ways to deter bears from popular campgrounds, some of which include bear-proof trash containers and campground rules. Campers are urged to keep food in locked vehicles when it’s not being prepared or eaten.
“The GMUG National Forest has been working with our recreation staffs and campground concessionaires to educate campers on preventing bear encounters and to install additional bear-proof trash containers in campgrounds and at other trash sites this summer and we will continue to do so,” GMUG Forest Supervisor, Charlie Richmond said. “In the meantime, it is important to remind campers, anglers, hunters and other recreation enthusiasts to take precautions to help prevent unwanted encounters with bears on national forest lands.”
While visiting National Forests, officials urge campers, hikers and those recreating to follow a number of simple guidelines.
Tips to follow in bear country:
-Do not keep food inside tents or sleep in clothes that were worn while cooking
-Allow barbecue grills to run for a few minutes after the food is cooked to burn off fat and food remnants.
-Pet food and dishes should be put away immediately after your pet has eaten.
-In the back-country, hang food well away from camp sites and suspend it above the ground at a level that prevents bear access.
-Do not clean fish at water facilities in the campgrounds and do not leave fish entrails in the forest or at cleaning facilities. Anglers should carry plastic bags and dispose of fish entrails in bags and in proper enclosed containers.
-In the back-country, fish entrails should be buried at least 200 feet from any stream, lake or campsite.
-Never approach bears to take pictures or see them up close. Bears are wild animals and no matter how tame they may seem, they can be provoked at a moments notice.
-If you encounter a bear on a trail or in a campground, never run or turn your back on it. Make yourself “big” by raising your hands and/or waving them above your head, make noise and back away slowly.
In residential areas:
-Store garbage inside and put it out only on the morning of pick-up
-Take in bird feeders at night, and during the day when bears are known to be in the area
-Pick up fruit that has fallen on the ground
-If your neighborhood uses a dumpster, talk to the trash company or your homeowner’s association about obtaining bear-proof containers
-Keep garage doors closed
-Talk to neighbors who might not know about bear behavior
-If you live in bear habitat and want to compost, use an indoor worm bin.
Information provided by USDA Forest Service, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
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