GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado (KJCT) – Beware of bears.

There are more bears on the move from September to November. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds that bears are foraging before winter.

“More than half of the bear incidents reported in 2023 occurred during the months of August, September and October,” CPW said. “And as bears begin this annual journey to prepare for winter and search for food, Coloradans may see more bear activity in urban areas.”

Black bears go into hyperphagia and can spend up to 20 hours a day fattening up for the winter. CPW warns people to be vigilant and remove items that attract bears from homes and campgrounds.

Black bears’ natural diet consists of berries, nuts, plants, and grasses. When they cannot find these foods, the animals’ drive to find food can overcome their fear of humans. Many conflicts between bears arise because bears become too comfortable around humans. Several reported conflicts result from attractants such as garbage, bird seed, pet food, and barbecue grills.

“Research shows that bears prefer natural food sources. But they will seek out food sources provided by humans when they are available, which can be dangerous for humans,” said Brad Banulis, senior wildlife biologist with CPW Northwest Region. “Preventing bears from relying on human food sources requires a community effort, and it is important that we all take proactive steps to limit human food sources to avoid potential conflict with bears and bear-proof our homes.”

To better understand how much bears need to eat on a daily basis, CPW has compiled a list of how much human food bears consume. They eat 20,000 calories per day. That’s the equivalent of 20 chicken sandwiches, 10 large servings of French fries, 10 soft drinks and 10 milkshakes. That’s the amount black bears need to eat daily to build up their fat reserves and survive the winter.

CPW has created a list of many different preventative measures for bear detection.

Make your home bear-proof:

• Keep your garbage in a secure place and do not put it out until the morning of collection.
• Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
• Keep garage doors closed. Do not leave pet food or livestock feed outside.
• Use a bear-proof trash can or dumpster.
• Birdhouses are a major cause of conflict between bears and humans. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang birdhouses from April 15 to November 15.
• Do not allow bears to make themselves comfortable near your home. If you see one, scare it away by yelling at it, throwing things at it, and making loud noises to scare it away.
• Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the smell of rotting food.
• Clean the grill after each use and tidy up thoroughly after grilling.
• If you have fruit trees, do not allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
• Talk to your neighbors and children about bear protection.

Car, travel and campsites:

• Lock your doors when you are not home and at night.
• Keep the windows on the ground floor of your house closed when you are not at home.
• Do not store food in your vehicle. Close the windows and lock the doors of your vehicle.
• When car camping, keep all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.
• Keep your camp clean, whether at a campsite or in the wilderness.
• When camping in remote areas, hang food at least 30 meters from the campsite and do not bring food into your tent.
• Do not cook your food near your tent and wash the dishes thoroughly.

Protecting your chickens, bees and livestock:

• Keep chickens, bees and livestock in a fully covered enclosure, especially at night.
• If possible, install electric fences.
• Do not store livestock feed outdoors.
• Keep enclosures clean to minimize animal odors.
• Hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure to deter the smell.

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