CPW investigating angler attacked by bear in Jefferson County

August 22, 2026
 

CPW investigating angler attacked by bear in Jefferson County

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating a bear attack near the confluence of the Platte rivers Friday evening. Around 8 p.m., a man in his 60s was walking towards the North Fork trail parking lot after fishing, not carrying any fish. Multiple witnesses reported a subadult sow knocked the man to the ground and bit his legs. The attack continued for several minutes until the victim’s friends scared the bear away. Additional bystanders stopped to provide assistance, according to witness reports to CPW officers. The man was taken to a local hospital with leg injuries. 

CPW officers responded to the area to attempt to locate the bear. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) also responded with a dog team to track the bear involved through scent. The bear was located and euthanized early Saturday morning, in accordance with CPW policy. The 50-60lb subadult female did not show signs of nursing. No cubs were located in the area. CPW wildlife veterinarians will perform a necropsy. This is the sixth reported bear attack of 2026. 

After a record number of bear reports to CPW, bears are starting to enter hyperphagia, a period of time where bear activity increases as they eat up to 20,000 calories per day. Historic drought has caused bear’s natural food sources to become scarce. As food is harder to find, bears may act bolder to find calories, and trash should be secured and removed to discourage conflict between humans and bears.  

Coloradans are reminded to be BearWise® while recreating outdoors:  

1. Stay Alert & Stay Together - Pay attention to your surroundings and stay together. Walk, hike, jog, or cycle with others when possible. Keep kids within sight and close by. Leave earbuds at home and make noise periodically so bears can avoid you.

2. Leave No Trash or Food Scraps - Double bag your food when hiking and pack out all food and trash. Don’t burn food scraps or trash in your fire ring or grill. Leaving scraps, wrappers, or even “harmless” items like apple cores teaches bears to associate trails and campsites with food.

3. Keep Dogs Leashed - Letting dogs chase or bark at bears is asking for trouble; don’t force a bear to defend itself. Keep your dogs leashed at all times or leave them at home.

4. Camp Safely - Set up camp away from dense cover and natural food sources. Cook as far from your tent as possible. Do not store food, trash, clothes worn when cooking, or toiletries in your tent. Store in approved bear-resistant containers OR out of sight in locked vehicle OR suspended at least 10 feet above the ground and 10 feet from any part of the tree. Local regulations vary.

5. Know What To Do If You See a Black Bear - If you see a bear before it notices you, don’t approach. Stand still, enjoy, then quietly move away. If a bear sees you, back away slowly. Never run; running may trigger a chase response. If a bear approaches, hold your ground, wave your arms and yell “Hey Bear” until it leaves. Stay with your group. If it keeps approaching, use bear spray. If a black bear makes contact with you, do NOT play dead; fight back aggressively.

6. Carry Bear Spray & Know How To Use It - Bear spray is proven to be the easiest and most effective way to deter a bear that threatens you. It doesn’t work like bug repellent, so never spray your tent, campsite or belongings.

   
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