Fisherman attacked by bear in Colorado, bear found and euthanized

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says a fisherman was injured in a bear attack in Jefferson County on Friday.

The man was reportedly near the confluence of the Platte rivers when he encountered a bear while walking towards the North Fork trail parking lot. Although the man wasn't carrying any fish, witnesses say the sow knocked him to the ground and bit his legs. It took several minutes for the man's friends to scare the bear away and stop the attack, and other people in the area stopped to help.

The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

CPW officers searched the area, and a U.S. Department of Agriculture and Plant Health Inspection Service dog team was brought in to track the bear. The team located the bear on Saturday morning and euthanized it, per CPW policy.

The subadult bear weighed approximately 50-60 pounds, and wildlife officers believe she had no cubs. Veterinarians will perform a necropsy on the bear.

CPW warned that this is the sixth reported bear attack this year, and that bears are beginning to enter hyperphagia, during which they seek out more food to prepare for winter. They said the drought has reduced their natural food sources and is pushing them into areas settled by people.

Wildlife officers say the bears may act bolder as food becomes harder to find, and warned residents to secure any potential food sources that could lead to a human-bear conflict. This includes unsecured trash, food scraps, pet food, bird feeders, grills, and other outdoor sources.

When outdoors, CPW said everyone should pay attention to their surroundings and stay together in groups. Avoid camping near dense cover and natural food sources for bears and be sure to secure any food in bear-resistant containers.

If someone sees a black bear, they are encouraged to move away quietly and slowly, and never run. If a bear approaches, CPW says the person should hold their ground, wave their arms, and shout "hey bear" loudly at it until it leaves. They also advised anyone in areas where bears might be to carry bear spray. If a bear attacks, fight back aggressively.

You can find more tips for living with bears here.