In Eagle County, securing trash is the heart of living with black bears

Eagle County is black bear country. The valleys around Vail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, and Gypsum sit in the kind of foothill and mountain habitat bears use, and in late summer and fall, as bears pack on weight before winter, they range widely looking for food.

Here is the part that matters most: nearly all serious bear problems start with human food and garbage. A bear that finds an easy meal in a trash can, a bird feeder, a cooler in a truck, or a fruit tree learns to come back, and a bear that keeps returning to homes often ends up dead. So “living with bears” is mostly about not giving them a reason to stay.

The steps are ordinary. Keep garbage secured, ideally in a bear-resistant container, and put it out the morning of pickup rather than the night before. Bring in feeders during bear season, clean grills, and do not leave food in a car. And remember that intentionally feeding bears, and other big game, is against the law in Colorado.

This is not about fear. Bears generally want to avoid people. For Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s full “Living with Bears” guidance and what to do in an encounter, start with their bear pages.