Colorado Parks and Wildlife is searching for a bear after it attacked a man in his backyard


Colorado Parks and Wildlife is searching for a bear after it attacked a man in his backyard

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A Colorado man survived a bear attack in his backyard when he shot the animal and spooked it after it threw him to the ground, state wildlife officials said.

The attack happened Saturday night in New Castle, Colorado, Parks and Wildlife Director Kirk Oldham said in a news release.

The man went into his yard after hearing the commotion and ran into the bear, which threw him to the ground, officials said. He then threw up his hand to protect his face, grabbed the gun with his free hand and fired three shots.

It is not known whether the bear was hit by bullets.

The man told Parks and Wildlife he had seen the bear in his yard the previous two nights.

The press release said heavy rain made it difficult for Parks and Wildlife officers to find and follow the blood and bear tracks. Garfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted in the search for the animal using a drone equipped with infrared sensors.

They were still searching Monday.

The man, whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries to his arm and hand and bruising to his chest, the release said.

This is the second bear attack on a western Colorado town in the past three months as bears prepare to hibernate, Oldham said.

In August a – said the bear to the woman and hit her, injuring her arm and back. The woman recovered, and the bear and cub were euthanized, The Denver Post reports.

“This is an unfortunate reminder that we must always be vigilant and be careful,” said wildlife manager Kirk Oldham. “We continue to see a lot of bear activity during the nighttime hours as bears prepare for hibernation. Easy access to food sources such as litter and fruit from fallen trees will attract bears. Simple steps such as picking up fruit and removing any attractants around your home is important to prevent such incidents.”

New Castle is located approximately 169 miles west of Denver, just west of Glenwood Springs along I-70.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bear-attacks-man-new-castle-colorado-2nd-attack/