Living with Bears in Steamboat Springs — What you need to know

June 7, 2024 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

Co-existing with bears was the subject of a presentation Thursday by the Keep Bears Wild – Steamboat group. The subject was “Be Bear Aware.”

Christy Bubenheim gave the presentation for the Keep Bears Wild group which started with the Leadership Program with the Steamboat Springs Chamber several years ago. She also works in the Steamboat Springs office for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

It was a good sized group, with most of the 50 seats filled with residents of all ages. Questions were asked and Bubenheim answered. David Rehak Suma was also at the meeting to answer any questions. He is the District Wildlife Manager for the Steamboat Springs area.

She said to report any issues or concerns you may have by calling 970-870-3333 or 970-846-2149.

Here are some of the important points people should know about living with bears, along with some of the slides from the presentation, and a few pictures of our own.

Bubenheim says, “Don’t give bears a reason to come into contact with people.” That means don’t have food around, like trash and in unlocked cars.

There are 17-20K black bears in Colorado. They can live up to 30 years. The last grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in 1979.

They breed in June or July and typically hibernate in late November through April. Sows give birth in late January and have one to six cubs that are about the size of a chipmunk. There is a higher rate of multiple cubs in places with a steady food source. The Steamboat Springs area is one of those places and that’s why you see multiple cubs per sow here. Those cubs can stay with the sow for 16 months to 2.5 years, and then they’re kicked out and on their own. Bubenheim says the yearlings are “very naughty and troublemakers,” and they get into a lot more things.

She said it is very important to make bears afraid of people by making a lot of noise and scaring them away from you, or your home, or your vehicle. “Don’t coddle them and make them feel welcome in our community.”

Black bears will rarely attack, but they will do a mock charge, swat at the ground, huff and pop their jaws to let you know they are uncomfortable and they need space.

Bears are motivated by food. They have “fantastic memories,” so that’s why they keep coming back to a food source. They are “curious, SMART, resourceful, shy, evasive, remarkably tolerant, and SUPER athletic.” This was evident recently in a video of yearlings climbing a lift tower at Steamboat Resort, sent to Steamboat Radio from Sharon Spiegel. April 19, 2024 — Video of yearling bears climbing the lift tower of Wild Blue Gondola, courtesy Sharon Spiegel

Bubenheim spoke of Perception vs. Reality. She said bears are not “man-eating killers.”

One slide showed the number of Black Bear attacks resulting in death in the United states.

2020 – 1
2021 – 1
2022 – 0
2023 – 1

Keep your trash cans secure. Make sure the bear-proof trash cans are latched at the top, whenever you set them outside. A city ordinance says they cannot be set out before 6 a.m. on the day of pickup, and the trash cans have to be brought in on the same day. Bubenheim says Steamboat Springs residents are getting better with trash and have been using trash cans and dumpsters properly. Sept. 15, 2021 — Video of Bear fighting Trash Can along Fish Creek Falls Road

Chicken coops and bee hives are also a problem. Secure them with an electric fence.

Unsecured cars and homes have also been a big problem. Bears get into cars and if the door shuts, they then can’t get out and they destroy the inside of the car. The bear broke into the one car in the first picture because of the yellow air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. It smelled like vanilla. Chapstick also smells good. The other car with the bike on back had left the back windows cracked open and there was dog food in the car. The bear pulled the window off and got in to get the dog food.

Bird feeders are against city ordinances. They aren’t allowed. Seeds also drop on the ground which can attract bears. The bird feeders are allowed Nov. 15-April 15.

Electrified mats are also a deterrent if you have a problem with a habitual bear trying to get into your house. The local CPW office has three electric mats that they will lend out.

Keep low-level windows shut during bear season. Double check your garage door that it is shut. Bears have discovered that those “big white boxes” in garages (your freezer/refrigerator) are full of food. If you do have a bear get into your home, make sure it has a way to get out. “Give the bear space and let them go out the way they came in,” said Bubenheim.

This is a chart that CPW uses to mark animals. The red dots are bears. The blue dots are moose. The yellow dots are mountain lions. Bubenheim says, “It is very important for CPW to know what is going on with the animals in Steamboat. For example, ‘Why is this bear spending so much time in one area.’” Then they can address it and help solve the problem.

Bubenheim also reminded those in the room that moose calves are being born right now so be cautious of the moose.

She showed the Bear Behavioral Ladder of Progression from Linda Masterson at LivingwithBears.com. Take a moment to read it.

Be proactive and not reactive. That means to remove attractants, fill spaces underneath your deck or house so a bear can’t hibernate in there, latch and lock your trash can, and use deterrents. An example would be to pour some ammonia on your trash/recycle can because bears don’t like the smell. Use electronic lights, barriers, electric mats, or bells and sound. Check out www.BearierSolutions.com

If hiking, don’t wear headphones. Be alert. You can bring an air horn or bear spray. Bells will alert animals that you are coming. If you see a bear, yell, clap, stomp, and wave your arms.

Bubenheim suggested that each neighborhood has a “Bear Police.” This is someone who is aware that trash is set out properly and lets neighbors know if there is a bear in the area, and why it was there.