1. Give it room
If an animal watches you, moves away, or changes its behavior, back up. Use binoculars or a zoom lens instead of walking closer.
Outdoors · Wildlife
Colorado wildlife can be the best part of a drive, a hike, or an ordinary morning in the yard. Give it room, then match your next move to the animal in front of you. Moose, bears, lions, and coyotes do not all call for the same response.
Start here
Choose the animal or situation in front of you.
Animal encounter
The response changes by animal. Go straight to the four official playbooks.
Jump there →Health
Wash a wound, then call the right medical, public-health, or veterinary professional now.
Jump there →Spring
Most young wildlife does not need rescuing. Leave it, step away, and call before touching or moving it.
Jump there →The rules
The rules are stricter than many people expect. Check the practical answer before you act.
Jump there →Home & pets
Remove food, supervise pets, and use the animal-specific advice from CPW.
Jump there →Wildlife watching
Start with dependable viewing places, then check the managing agency for current access.
Jump there →On this page
True for every animal
If an animal watches you, moves away, or changes its behavior, back up. Use binoculars or a zoom lens instead of walking closer.
The right response is not the same for a moose, bear, lion, or coyote. Read the four short playbooks before a hike.
Colorado law bans intentionally feeding deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, bears, and mountain lions. Feeding other wildlife can spread disease, draw predators, and make animals bold.
Use a leash where required and whenever wildlife is near. Dogs can trigger a moose, chase wildlife, or bring a conflict back to you.
A young animal by itself is often waiting for a parent. Watch from far away, keep dogs back, and call a licensed expert if it is clearly hurt.
Call CPW about dangerous, injured, or illegally taken wildlife. Call a doctor, vet, or public health after a bite, scratch, or possible disease exposure.
The big animals
Read this part even if you only hike now and then. The right move is different for each animal, and sometimes it is the exact opposite. Here is the short version to remember.
Get this one right
Moose
Back away. If it acts aggressive or charges, run and put a tree, boulder, or car between you.
Black bear
Stay calm. Do not run or climb a tree. Give it a way out, back away, and fight back if attacked.
Mountain lion
Face it. Do not run. Look big, pick up small children or pets, back away slowly, and fight back if attacked.
Coyote
Do not run. Get big and loud, throw objects at it, then face it and back away if it stays.
Calm-looking does not mean tame.
CPW began reintroducing moose in 1978. Moose may tolerate people longer than other wildlife, and they can react strongly to dogs. Ears laid back, raised neck hair, a lowered head, swaying, or licking the snout mean you are too close.
If it confronts you: Back away and give it room. If it acts aggressive or begins to charge, run and put a large object such as a tree, boulder, or car between you.
Colorado's only bear species.
A black bear may be black, brown, cinnamon, or blond. Most want a clear way away from people. Food, trash, grills, birdseed, and pet food are the common reasons bears return to homes and camps.
If it confronts you: Stay calm, stand still, and let the bear leave. Do not run, climb a tree, or block its escape. Back away while facing it. If a black bear attacks, fight back and do not play dead.
Quiet, powerful, and rarely seen.
Mountain lions live across much of Colorado, including foothill and mountain communities where deer are common. CPW says attacks on people are rare, but children and pets should stay close in lion country.
If it confronts you: Do not run. Face the lion, speak calmly, look larger, and pick up small children or pets without turning away. Back away slowly. If it acts aggressive, throw objects and speak firmly. Fight back if attacked.
At home on the plains, in the mountains, and in town.
Coyotes live in almost every Colorado habitat. Garbage, pet food, compost, and wildlife feeding can make them comfortable near homes. Small pets need close supervision.
The move: Do not run or turn your back. Be big and loud, wave your arms, clap, and throw objects at the coyote. If it does not leave, face it and back away slowly. Report dangerous behavior to CPW.
Common does not mean safe to approach.
Elk and deer often appear calm, even in town. Bulls and bucks can become defensive during the fall rut, and females protect young in spring. They also move across roads in groups.
The move: Give them room, keep dogs back, and do not step between an adult and its young. If an animal faces you, lowers its head, pins its ears, or changes its behavior, leave more space.
Similar cliffs, different Colorado stories.
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are native and are Colorado's state animal. Mountain goats were introduced to Colorado in the 1940s. Both use steep, rocky country and may gather around natural or human-made salt sources.
The move: Watch from a distance and do not block a trail or crowd an animal at a mineral lick, roadside, or parking area.
The pale, fast runner of open country.
Pronghorn, often called antelope, are a familiar sight on the eastern plains and in western sagebrush. Fences and roads can interrupt their movement across wide country.
The move: Watch from the road or another established viewing spot. Do not stop in a travel lane or walk out across private land for a closer photo.
Large, fast, and best watched from the vehicle.
You can see managed bison herds at places such as Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and Denver's mountain parks. A grazing bison can change direction quickly.
If it confronts you: Stay in your vehicle where the site tells you to, obey posted distances, and do not walk toward a bison for a photo.
Three quiet neighbors people often mix up.
Foxes live in both rural and urban areas. Bobcats are small, spotted wild cats with short tails. Canada lynx are rare, federally protected cats of high, snowy forests.
Protected. Leave it alone: Do not feed or follow them. Keep small pets close and report a sick, injured, or unusually bold animal to CPW.
Back in Colorado and protected.
Colorado voters approved wolf restoration in 2020, and state releases began in 2023. CPW maintains current wolf information and an activity map. Wolf locations and legal status are details to confirm on the live CPW page.
Protected. Leave it alone: Do not approach, corner, chase, or shoot a wolf. Keep dogs away. If one stays close, face it, back away slowly, and follow CPW's current encounter guidance.
Hiking with kids in lion country
Keep children close and in the middle of the group. Do not let them run ahead or lag behind. If you meet a lion, pick up a small child without turning your back or crouching for long. Face the lion, look big, speak firmly, and back away slowly.
When your dog tangles with wildlife
Quills can break and can be hard to remove safely, especially around the face or mouth. Keep the dog calm and call a veterinarian for removal advice.
Treat it as a veterinary emergency. Move away from the snake, keep the dog quiet, and call the nearest emergency veterinarian. Do not use ice, cut the bite, or apply a tourniquet.
Rinse irritated eyes with plenty of clean water and call a veterinarian if pain, redness, or squinting continues. Spray alone is not the same as a bite, but direct contact or a fight should be assessed by a vet.
The little guys
These are the animals you may notice around a trail, campsite, neighborhood, or rock pile.
Marmots are the big whistlers around talus and alpine meadows. Pikas are their much smaller, round-eared neighbors in rock piles. Watch without feeding or trying to draw them closer.
These social rodents build towns across the plains. Avoid contact with them and their fleas. A sudden die-off can be a sign of plague and should be reported to local public health.
They learn quickly where hikers drop snacks. Do not hand-feed them. A close animal can bite, and crowded feeding spots can spread disease.
They usually avoid people, but a curious dog can come home with a face full of quills. Keep dogs close and call a veterinarian rather than trying a complicated removal yourself.
Secure trash and give both animals space. Skunks are one of Colorado's main rabies reservoirs. If a person or pet has direct contact with either animal, call a doctor, vet, or public health.
Bats eat insects, but they are also a main rabies reservoir in Colorado. Never handle one. Direct contact, or waking to a bat in the room, is a reason to call a medical provider or public health for an exposure check.
Colorado has hundreds of bird species. These are a few groups you are likely to notice.
Colorado has three rattlesnake species. The prairie rattlesnake is the one most people meet. The midget-faded rattlesnake lives in parts of western Colorado, and the massasauga lives in the southeast. A rattlesnake usually wants room to leave. A bite is a medical emergency.
The bullsnake (gopher snake) can look like a rattlesnake and may flatten its head or shake its tail, but it does not have venom. If you're not sure what kind of snake it is, just back away and leave it alone.
Stay healthy
Wild animals can carry illnesses that pass to people and pets. The simple prevention plan is to avoid contact, control fleas and ticks on pets, and get professional advice after a possible exposure.
Bats and skunks are Colorado's main rabies reservoirs. Rabies spreads mainly through bites and infected saliva. Call a health care provider and local public health after a bite, scratch, direct bat contact, or waking to a bat in the room. A veterinarian should assess pet contact.
Plague is uncommon but present in Colorado. Infected fleas and contact with infected rodents can spread it. Keep pets away from prairie-dog towns and dead rodents, use veterinarian-approved flea control, and report a sudden rodent die-off to local public health.
Deer-mouse urine and droppings can carry hantavirus. Air out closed cabins or sheds before cleaning. Wet droppings with disinfectant and wipe them up. Do not dry-sweep or vacuum contaminated dust.
Mosquitoes can spread West Nile virus in Colorado. Use repellent, wear covering clothing when mosquitoes are active, repair screens, and empty standing water around the home.
Ticks can spread Colorado tick fever, tularemia, and other illnesses. Tularemia can also spread through contact with infected rabbits or rodents. Use repellent, check people and pets after a hike, and avoid handling sick or dead wildlife.
CWD affects deer, elk, moose, and related animals. CDC says it has not been shown to infect people, but advises hunters not to eat meat from an animal that tests positive. Follow current CPW testing guidance for the hunt area.
If you're bitten or scratched
Wash the wound well with soap and running water. Then contact a health care provider and local public health promptly so they can assess infection and rabies risk. Report direct bat contact, or waking to a bat in the room, even if you cannot see a bite. Do not handle or try to capture a wild animal yourself. Call animal control or public health for safe testing instructions.
This is general information, not medical advice. For a real bite, scratch, or exposure, call 911 or your doctor, vet, or county or state health department right away.
The practical rule is simple: enjoy wildlife without feeding, keeping, chasing, or collecting it. A few details matter.
The spring rule everyone needs
A young animal alone can look helpless when it is behaving normally. Your best first move is to step back.
Slow down and scan both shoulders, especially around dawn, dusk, forests, farm country, and signed wildlife areas. Watch for shining eyes at night and expect another animal after the first one crosses. Obey every wildlife and speed sign.
If you hit wildlife: get yourself and the vehicle out of the travel lane if you can do so safely, turn on the hazard lights, and do not approach an injured animal. CPW directs drivers to report wildlife-vehicle collisions to the Colorado State Patrol. Call *CSP (*277) or 911 when there is an emergency.
Roadkill salvage has a legal process. Colorado allows possession of edible portions of road-killed wildlife only with one of the authorizations listed in the current CPW rule. A person seeking a donation certificate must notify CPW or another authorized agency within 48 hours, and may need to present the animal for inspection. Call before loading anything, and do not let salvage create a second road hazard.
Many home conflicts begin with food or shelter an animal can reach. Start by removing the reward.
The fun part
Some of the best places to watch Colorado's animals, often right from your car. A few need reservations or have seasonal access, so check before you go.
Look for elk in open valleys and bighorn sheep, moose, marmots, and pikas in the right habitat. Use the park's current wildlife, closure, road, and reservation pages before the drive.
North Park is dependable moose country, and Walden is Colorado's official Moose Viewing Capital. Check CPW for current park access, trails, and wildlife guidance.
The refuge near Denver has a wildlife drive and opportunities to see bison, deer, coyotes, prairie dogs, raptors, and water birds. Follow refuge road and bison-viewing rules.
These San Luis Valley refuges are important places for seasonal sandhill crane viewing and many other birds. Check the refuge pages for current viewing areas and access.
Denver maintains bison herds in these mountain parks. Use signed overlooks and roads, and check Denver Parks for current access rather than walking toward the herd.
The northeastern plains offer pronghorn, raptors, and grassland birds. Check the Forest Service for current road conditions, closures, and seasonal protections.
A good viewing habit: bring binoculars or a zoom lens and use signed pullouts. Stay in the vehicle where the site directs you to. Do not bait, call, or crowd an animal for a photo. If the animal changes what it is doing because of you, add distance.
Colorado quirks
The small details that keep people and wildlife safer.
Do not use the bear or lion playbook. CPW says to run and place a large object between you and an aggressive or charging moose.
Black bears come in several colors. If one attacks, CPW says to fight back. Do not use the play-dead advice meant for some grizzly encounters.
Bighorn sheep are native and are Colorado's state animal. Mountain goats were introduced beginning in the 1940s.
A bullsnake may flatten its head and shake its tail. If you cannot identify a snake with confidence, give it room and leave it alone.
Bat bites can be hard to see. If you wake to a bat in the room, call a medical provider or local public health so they can decide whether it counts as an exposure.
Adult deer often leave young hidden while they feed. Step away so the parent feels safe returning, and call CPW before trying to help.
Colorado prohibits intentionally feeding deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears. Feeding other wildlife is still harmful and may be restricted locally.
Colorado allows possession of edible portions of some road-killed wildlife only through the state's authorization process. Call CPW or an authorized agency before loading an animal.
Colorado generally prohibits taking native wildlife home. Narrow licenses and lists create exceptions, so a species-specific question belongs with CPW.
Federal law generally protects the feathers, parts, or nests of native birds. Unless you know a legal exception applies, photograph the find and leave it.
For the trail
The jargon, decoded
A little wildlife vocabulary.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the state agency that manages wildlife and wildlife rules.
The mating season for animals such as elk and deer. Adults can be more defensive then.
The time when animals give birth and adults may strongly defend young.
Using noise, size, or another approved deterrent to make a bold coyote leave and stay wary of people.
A large canister of pepper spray made for wildlife defense. Learn how to use it, keep it reachable, and follow the label.
An illness that can pass between animals and people, such as rabies or plague.
A person or facility licensed to care for injured or orphaned wildlife for release back to the wild.
The CPW authorization that makes it legal to take home edible portions of road-killed big game. Requires notifying CPW within 48 hours.
A native animal occurred here historically. An introduced animal was brought to the state by people.
Used to people. A habituated animal may stop keeping a normal, safe distance.
FAQ
The response changes by animal. Moose: back away; if it acts aggressive or charges, run and put a tree, boulder, or car between you. Black bear: stay calm, do not run or climb, give it an escape route, back away, and fight back if attacked. Mountain lion: face it, do not run, look big, pick up small children or pets, back away slowly, and fight back if attacked. Coyote: do not run; get big and loud, throw objects at it, then face it and back away if it stays. Call 911 for immediate danger and report a dangerous encounter to CPW.
Usually, no. Adult animals often leave young in a safe place while they feed. Leave the animal where it is, move people and dogs away, and watch only from a distance. If it has a clear injury or is in immediate danger, call CPW or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before touching or moving it.
Do not feed wildlife. Colorado law prohibits intentionally feeding deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears. Feeding other wildlife can crowd animals, spread disease, attract predators, and make animals too comfortable near people. Local rules may be stricter.
If an animal stops feeding, watches you, moves away, raises its head, pins its ears, or otherwise changes what it is doing, increase the distance. Use binoculars or a zoom lens and obey every posted distance or closure. A vehicle can be a good viewing place when the site allows it.
It is possible, so avoid touching wild animals, alive or dead. Bats and skunks are Colorado's main rabies reservoirs. Rodents and fleas can spread plague, and deer-mouse droppings can carry hantavirus. After a bite, scratch, direct bat contact, or waking to a bat in the room, call a health care provider and local public health. Call a veterinarian after pet contact.
Possibly, but not just by loading it. Colorado requires authorization for edible portions of road-killed wildlife, such as a prior letter, permit, donation certificate, or tag. The current rule includes a 48-hour notice process for a donation certificate, and the animal may need inspection. Get off the road safely and call CPW or an authorized agency before taking possession.
The official signpost
CPW controls wildlife guidance and rules. Health professionals and public-health agencies assess bites and disease exposure. The land manager controls access at a viewing site. Match the source to the question in front of you.
Use this carefully: Animal behavior is unpredictable, and the response changes by species. Use this page to get oriented, then follow CPW's current animal-specific guidance. Call 911 for immediate danger. After a bite, scratch, direct bat contact, or other possible disease exposure, contact a health care provider, veterinarian, or local public-health agency promptly. Access, closures, wolf activity, and health advisories can change.
Next steps
Watching animals is half the fun of being here. Here is where to read more, plan a trip, and go find the wild places.
Go local
Home to State Forest State Park and the state's official Moose Viewing Capital.
Wander up to Walden ->Camping
Food storage and bear canisters, fire bans, and the timed-entry reservations this guide keeps mentioning.
Read camping ->Outdoors
More guides to getting outside in Colorado, from trails to dark-sky stargazing.
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