Oct 11, 2007 6:36 pm US/Mountain
Wildlife Officers Kill Bear That Clawed Homeowner
SNOWMASS, Colo. (AP) ―
A bear that got inside a garage and then clawed the homeowner was shot and killed by wildlife officers Thursday.
At least 45 black bears have been killed this spring and summer statewide after run-ins with people.
Pitkin County sheriff's deputies and Kevin Wright, a district manager with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, shot the 350-pound male bear in Snowmass after they were called to a home around 7 a.m.
Officers believe the bear entered the garage through a door left open for the homeowner's dogs. When the man went into the garage to feed the dogs, he was charged and clawed by the bear.
Wildlife officers said the bear stayed in the garage even though it had a chance to flee to nearby woods. They said it acted aggressively toward them.
The bear was likely old because its teeth were worn, officers said.
Several bears have been killed and relocated this year after being found rummaging through garbage or busting into homes and other buildings in search of food. A late freeze and drought heavily damaged the berries and acorns that bears normally eat.
The Division of Wildlife often tags and relocates bears that cause trouble, although officers will immediately kill one that attacks people or is especially aggressive. Bears caught a second time are killed.
The Division of Wildlife said female bears and cubs are heading to their dens for hibernation, but male bears typically don't settle in for winter until mid-November.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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