Bear gets into Dolores dumpsters as conflicts climb statewide
Dry conditions have pushed bears toward town in search of food, KSJD reported, and state wildlife officials are asking residents to lock up trash.
A black bear broke into bear-resistant dumpsters in Dolores by pushing in their plastic lids to reach the trash, KSJD reported last week. The Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office said a patrol sergeant later moved the bear along.
KSJD reported that drought and wildfire across the Four Corners have left bears hunting harder for food as they fatten up for winter. In early September, Colorado Parks and Wildlife put down an old male bear in Durango after finding it sick; a necropsy showed its digestive tract was blocked with garbage, including plastic bags.
Statewide, Parks and Wildlife counted 8,672 bear-related reports through August 31, compared with 3,680 in all of 2025, according to KSJD. The agency has euthanized 294 bears this year, up from 83 last year, and confirmed a record 10 attacks on people.
Parks and Wildlife asks residents to secure trash, lock doors, windows and vehicles, take down bird feeders, never feed wildlife (it’s illegal) and report bear activity.
Read KSJD’s report.