DENVER (KDVR) A man from Boulder was attacked by a bear while walking his dogs on Saturday night, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported in a press release on Tuesday.

On Saturday, around 11 p.m., a man was walking his two dogs along High Street. A bear with her cub nearby charged at the man and his dogs. While trying to run and avoid the bear, he tripped over the leashes, and the bear slashed him across his back.

Several CPW rangers responded to the incident, with the man telling them that his injuries were only superficial.

The rangers discovered an overturned trash can, but were unable to find the mother bear and her cubs during several hours of searching.

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife should always be the first call when bears are spotted in town,” said Area Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch. “The resident experiencing bear conflicts should contact CPW directly as we are able to provide education, advice and track wildlife movement in order to make more-informed management decisions. While bears are trying to bulk up for winter, it’s especially important to stay vigilant about trash so they are not rewarded with non-natural food.”  

Following the attack, CPW warns residents to be extra vigilant when securing trash, as bears are in the season when they will be most active in seeking food to prepare for hibernation.

A period that increases bear and human interaction even within city limits.

Bears can eat up to 20,000 calories each day and love to find that food in trash cans. CPW said to put trash in bear-resistant trash cans, keep trash locked away until the day of pickup, lock garages, cars and windows, as well as take down bird feeders.

The bears will return to the spots where they successfully find food, said CPW.

Hazing can be effective in deterring bears, which can include things like motion-detecting lights, airhorns, car alarms, banging pots and pans, loud music or giving your loudest shout at the bears.

Leslie Reed

“I mean I know the family and I feel really bad and I’m glad there wasn’t a worse injury because it certainly could have been.”