Colorado Parks and Wildlife and its partners are urging Coloradans not to feed bears during an exceptionally difficult natural-food year.
Historic drought, spring freezes, wildfire and hail have reduced berries, fruits, nuts and seeds across much of the state. As bears enter hyperphagia—the late-summer and fall period when they eat nearly nonstop before denning—human-bear conflicts are expected to increase. CPW has already received more than 7,000 reports of bear sightings and conflicts in 2026.
Feeding bears, whether intentionally or through unsecured attractants, makes the problem worse. Bears that learn to rely on human food lose their natural wariness, return to neighborhoods and face a much greater risk of injury or death.
How you can help
- Secure trash and make sure bear-resistant containers latch properly.
- Remove bird feeders while bears are active.
- Lock doors and windows on homes and vehicles.
- From a safe place, make noise to encourage bears to leave developed areas.
- Never leave food out for bears—even during a natural-food shortage.
The Roaring Fork Valley Bear Coalition is proud to join Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Statewide Bear Working Group, the City of Aspen and bear organizations across Colorado in sharing this urgent message.
Read the full editorial from Colorado Parks and Wildlife →
Published by Colorado Parks and Wildlife on August 28, 2026.