09/01/2026
Colorado’s bears are hungry. That does not mean you should feed them.
Right now bears are looking to pack on the calories ahead of winter –– and those calories need to come from their natural, wild food sources. The historic drought is having an impact on their naturally available food sources, but wild bears need wild food. Not people food. Or even “wild” food courtesy of people.
They need wild food they get on their own.
Bears, people and food do not mix well. We understand concern for our state’s wildlife and this is a unique year, but supplemental feeding of bears is illegal, dangerous and does much more harm than good in both the short and long term.
Feeding bears teaches them to become less wary of humans, which can be dangerous. It also ruins their natural instincts of how to forage and prepare for winter on their own, which can hurt them this year, and well into the future.
This also doesn’t just apply to your backyard. This goes for the backcountry as well. Bears are incredibly adept at noticing an increase in human activity in the woods. If that activity is associated with an easy meal, those bears will seek out more human activity (like going to the nearest town) rather than staying in the backcountry.
The list of reasons to not feed bears goes on. Don’t be the reason a bear loses the “wild” part of being wildlife. Their instincts have been sharpened over thousands of years. Do not be the one who ruins them –– choose to be part of the solution and preserve those instincts.
To learn more please visit our website: https://cpw.state.co.us/news/08282026/editorial-want-help-starving-bears-dont-feed-them
