Tag: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Mountain lion seems to be ‘seeing stars’ after dog owner kicks it

A man walking his small dog in Boulder, Colorado, was confronted by a mountain lion that apparently saw the dog as its next meal.

A man walking his small dog in Boulder, Colorado, on Thursday night was confronted by a mountain lion that apparently saw the dog as its next meal.

The cougar crossed the street and walked toward Juan Gutierrez, who was walking his 14-year-old Pomeranian mix named Riley, as reported by KDVR.

“I’m pretty sure he (Riley) thought it was another dog,” Gutierrez told KDVR in an on-camera interview. “I yelled to stay back, and I yelled it four to five times and nothing, the cat doesn’t hesitate.”

With the mountain lion still approaching, Gutierrez tried something else.

“I just flashed a light at its face and once it was too distracted, I kicked him,” he said. “He looked at me and then he looked up towards the sky. I don’t know if he was seeing stars or something.”

Gutierrez then slowly retreated with the dog, and without further incident.

Credit: KDVR

Gutierrez is convinced it is the same mountain lion that was reported walking the streets a half-mile away two nights before.

While inside his car, Evan Price captured video of that cougar strolling near 16th and Iris Avenue, as reported by KDVR.

That mountain lion appeared to be limping. Some suspect it was seeking an easy meal, in this case Riley.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife told KDVR that its personnel were unable to locate the mountain lion after the encounter with the man and his dog.

For Riley, it was another survival story. The dog has previously survived a black bear attack, a dog attack, and cancer. And now, a potential mountain lion attack.

Feature photo courtesy of Evan Price via KDVR.

8-year-old girl attacked by a cow elk while riding her bike

A wildlife manager in Colorado called the attack “unusual and unfortunate” as the girl was thought to be a safe distance away.

An 8-year-old girl was riding her bike in a neighborhood of Estes Park, Colorado, on Thursday afternoon when a cow elk gave chase and attacked, stomping on her multiple times.

The girl, who was thought to be a safe distance away, was approximately 60 yards from the elk when it charged around 1 p.m., the Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported Friday. Experts recommend remaining at least 25 yards from elk, as stated by MyColoradoParks.com and Lost Outfitters.

The girl was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated and released later that day.

“This is an unusual and unfortunate situation where a young girl was playing outside, far from the calf, and a cow elk became aggressive to protect her newborn,” said Jason Duetsch, Area Wildlife Manager for CPW.

“While it is a natural reaction for cow elk to be very defensive during calving season, it is not often they hurt someone, especially a child. We’re happy the girl is recovering from her injuries and wish her continued healing.”

A wildlife officer was sent to the scene where he found the cow elk and its young calf. When the elk became aggressive toward the officer, the officer hazed the elk by firing a non-lethal bean bag round at the animal. The aggressive behavior then dissipated, but the officer remained on the scene for several hours.

The next day, the responding officer returned to the scene, retrieved the newborn calf and took it to the CPW Health Lab.

Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for CPW told 9 News that the Health Lab requested the calf so it can care for it and study it to better understand the species.

The cow elk was not euthanized, Van Hoose told 9 News.

More from the CDW:

Officers will haze cow elk in the area as necessary to discourage interactions with neighbors. Signs warning of aggressive elk behavior have been placed in the area. Pets should be on-leash at all times to avoid conflicts with cow elk.

Late spring through early summer is considered calving season for Colorado’s elk population. During this time, cow elk can display aggression towards people and pets to protect their calves from perceived threats. Conflicts are common with cow elk and cow moose when they have young nearby, and conflicts increase until their young can stand and move around on their own. Always leave young wildlife alone, especially during calving season. It is not unusual to find calves and fawns alone, as the mother may temporarily leave the calf to find food.

Photos courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Wikimedia Commons.

Black bear takes swipe at a male walker, knocking him to ground

Colorado wildlife officials put up signs about increased bear activity in Steamboat Springs with instructions to “stay calm” and “don’t run” if you see a bear.

A male walker in Colorado sustained minor injuries when a black bear swiped at him from behind, knocking him to the ground.

The man was on a morning walk Tuesday morning when the encounter occurred on a path connecting Walton Creek Road and Mt. Werner Circle in Steamboat Springs near the ski resort, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported Wednesday.

The man, who had noticed a yearling cub in the area before the attack, received scrapes to his arm from falling. He finished his walk before seeking first aid. He notified CPW of the attack around 9:45 a.m.

“Local wildlife officers have set up bear traps and placed signage to notify those walking the trail of increased bear activity,” the CPW stated. “As of Wednesday morning, no bears have been caught in the traps.

“This is still an ongoing investigation.”

Rachael Gonzales, CPW northwest region public information officer, told the Craig Daily Press that residents and visitors to Steamboat Springs need to practice good “living in bear country” principles.

“If you see a bear, don’t run,” Gonzales said. “Stand still, stay calm and slowly back away until the bear is out of sight. If you see cubs, their mother is usually close by. Leave the area immediately to give them space.

“As cool as it is to get these videos and photos, it’s not worth it. Make noise. Don’t panic. Being alert, keeping your dog on a leash and knowing what to do if you encounter a bear is important.”

Generic photos of a black bear with cub and a black bear courtesy of Mass.gov and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Deer attacks woman on basketball court in Colorado

A young mule deer buck approached a group of people on a basketball court at Rio Grande Park in Aspen and suddenly went on the attack.

A young mule deer buck approached a group of people hanging out on a basketball court at Rio Grande Park in Aspen, Colorado, on Friday and suddenly went on the attack, targeting an unidentified woman.

The woman was backing away to give the deer space when it attacked, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The woman, who shielded her face, sustained minor injuries to her arms but refused medical treatment.

Wildlife officers began investigating the incident about an hour after the encounter.

“After interviewing the victim and several witnesses, officers determined the victim did nothing wrong and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” CPW stated.

“According to witnesses, the deer had approached the group before the attack, which suggested that it had become habituated to human presence and lacked the natural fear that wildlife should have towards humans.”

Wildlife officers managed to locate the deer and witnessed the same lack of fear to humans as described by the witnesses, prompting them to capture and euthanize the deer in the interest of public health and safety.

More from the CPW:

Deer attacks are rare but can happen, resulting in serious injuries. This incident serves as an important reminder that wild animals should always be treated as such. While it is common for deer and other wildlife to live inside town limits, CPW reminds everyone to give wildlife space, and feeding wildlife is illegal, no matter where they are.

Bear pins man to ground in late-night attack in his backyard

A Colorado man investigating a noise in his backyard late Saturday night startled a bear, which knocked him over and held him down.

A Colorado man investigating a noise in his backyard late Saturday night startled a bear, which knocked him down and pinned him to the ground.

The victim used one arm to protect his face while grabbing his gun with the other and shooting three times, scaring the bear away, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Family members took the victim to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries to his hand, arm and chest. He was released from the hospital early Sunday morning.

“In addition to injuries to his hand and arm, the victim also received bruising on his chest from the bear holding him down on the ground,” the CPW stated.

The man told CPW that he had seen a bear in his yard the previous two nights.

This was the second bear attack in New Castle this year. According to The Denver Post, the first attack happened in August and also took place in a backyard, where a sow and three cubs were in trees. A woman went outside to cover a hot tub and was attacked.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Hiker lets bear pass within petting distance on narrow trail (video)

“This is an unfortunate reminder that we need to be vigilant and ‘bear aware’ at all times,” Area Wildlife Manager Kirk Oldham said in response to Saturday’s attack. “We continue to see a lot of bear activity during the overnight hours as bears prepare for hibernation.

“Easy access to food sources, such as trash and fruit from trees that have fallen to the ground, will attract bears. Simple steps like picking up fruit and removing any attractants around your home are important in preventing incidents like this.”

The attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. CPW was notified about it by the staff of the local hospital. Wildlife officers arrived on the scene around 2 a.m. Sunday to search for the bear, but heavy rain made it difficult to locate a possible blood trail to track the bear.

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted using a drone with infrared sensors to search for the bear. The search continued throughout the day Sunday without success.

The victim was unsure whether any of his three shots actually hit the bear. But the CPW asks the New Castle community to contact Colorado State Patrol if an injured or dead bear is spotted.

Generic bear photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

Angler breaks Colorado’s oldest fishing record, is coy on details

A 75-year-old record for brook trout was broken by a slim margin at Monarch Lake, a fishery officials suspected was home to the state record.

A 75-year-old fishing record, the oldest in Colorado, was broken when Tim Daniel of Granby landed a 7.84-pound brook trout at Monarch Lake, a fishery officials suspected was home to the state record.

“When I headed out to fish that day with my friend Karen and four-legged friend Moose, I had no intention of breaking a record,” Daniel told Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “I wasn’t sure what I had hooked, but I knew it was big.”

The brook trout measured 23¼ inches in length, had a 15-inch girth, and surpassed the previous record by a slim margin. The old mark was 7.63 pounds caught by George Knorr in Upper Cataract Lake in 1947.

Asked by the CPW where and what he used to catch the fish, Daniels said “in the water and with a hook.”

Though we do know it was caught at Monarch Lake, Daniels didn’t reveal to CPW what he used to catch the trophy trout, remaining coy about that and other details.

CPW Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert inspected the fish the day it was caught on May 23. The CPW announced the approval of the record on Friday.

Ewert wasn’t too surprised the record came from Monarch Lake, saying, “We always suspected that Monarch Lake had the potential to produce a state-record brook trout. This is a real testament to the quality of our angling opportunities in Grand County.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Fisherman photographs ‘craziest thing’ seen on a fishing pier

“It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving angler than Tim. He’s just one of those guys that is always out there on the water and as a result, has an intimate knowledge of the subtle details necessary to be so successful.”

But just don’t ask him to reveal them.

Incidentally, the oldest-standing fishing record in Colorado is now a 4.44-pound white bass caught by Pedro Martinez from Blue Lake in 1963.

Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Campers ‘attacked’ by bear pouncing on tent

A sleeping couple at a Colorado campground got an early wakeup call when a bear rummaged through their campsite and pounced on their tent.

A sleeping couple at a private Colorado campground received an early wakeup call Monday morning when a bear rummaged through their campsite and pounced on their tent in what wildlife officials called an “attack.”

bear attack

The unidentified campers were staying at the Golden Eagle Campground about five miles southwest of Colorado Springs when the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m., Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.

The couple told CPW Officer Aaron Berscheid they were awakened when the bear knocked clean plates and a cooking stove off the table. Moments later, the bear apparently stood on its back legs and leaned on the tent “as if investigating it, causing the tent to collapse,” the CPW reported.

The incident was classified by CPW as an attack because the bear contacted a human. The woman in the tent reported being scratched on the head, but there was no sign of it when she was checked out later Monday.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Angler risks swimming with sharks to avoid losing fish

The commotion of the tent collapsing and most probably the couple screaming caused the bear to run off a ways. It turned and huffed at the couple. They shouted and finally scared it off by turning on the car’s alarm.

“By the descriptions of the bear and by studying its footprints, it appears to be a juvenile bear,” Berscheid said. “Its behavior sounds more as if it was just curious rather than aggressive. There were no food attractants at the campsite. I think it was just a curious young bear.”

A small brown-colored bear has been seen in the campground in recent weeks and is suspected to be the same one in this incident. A trap has been set in hopes of catching the bear and relocating it to a more remote area. CPW didn’t plan to euthanize the bear because it was not aggressive toward the people.

“The incident is an important reminder of the need to observe Bear Aware rules, especially when camping in bear country,” the CPW said. “Never keep food in a tent or eat in a tent. Store food and anything with an odor, including toiletries and clothes you cook in, in a bear-resistant container or suspended from a tree at least 10 feet above ground.”

Photos courtesy of the CPW and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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