CPW Warns Colorado Springs Homeowners as Bear Sightings Jump 50 Percent Since Last Year
If you live east of I-25 in Colorado Springs, there is a real chance a bear has already walked past your backyard this summer. And you may not have even known.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) wildlife officer Travis Sauder confirmed this week that bear sightings in the area have jumped significantly.
This year, CPW is sitting at around 1,500 reported sightings, compared to roughly 1,000 at the same point last year, with a sharp rise specifically east of I-25.
That is a 50% spike. In one season.
Why Bears Are Crossing I-25 Into East Side Neighborhoods
Bears don’t usually wander this far into the city without a reason. This year, that reason is hunger.
The dry winter left natural food sources like berries, acorns, and chokecherries severely depleted at higher elevations. When bears came out of hibernation, there was almost nothing waiting for them in the mountains. So they moved down. And kept moving.
CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for Colorado Springs, Tim Kroening, has been clear about what happens next.
Every time a bear finds food near a human home, from a trash can, bird feeder, or even a hummingbird feeder, it learns that people mean food. And that lesson cannot be untaught.
That’s how a temporary food shortage turns into a long-term problem. And Colorado Springs isn’t alone. Black bears have been showing up in unexpected neighborhoods across the country as drought conditions push them farther from their natural habitat.
What This Looks Like for East Side Homeowners Right Now
Residents have been posting home camera footage online, bears on sidewalks, bears in backyards, bears checking out garages.
Fort Carson, right on the edge of Colorado Springs, has already logged 23 bear sighting calls this year through dispatch alone, with most happening in residential housing areas near Highway 115.
And this is still early summer. Hyperphagia season, when bears eat up to 20,000 calories a day to prepare for winter, doesn’t even begin until August.
It sounds almost unreal until you see it yourself. A California family had a bear sit in a tree directly behind their home for five hours, caught on camera, completely unexpected, and nobody knew what to do next.
If you want to stay updated on bear activity and home safety situations like these as they develop, there’s a WhatsApp channel covering stories like this regularly. Join here to stay in the loop.
What You Can Do Right Now
You do not need expensive gear to deter a bear. Start with the basics CPW actually recommends.
Put trash bins outside only on the morning of pickup, not the night before. Take down bird feeders now, since April through November is peak risk. Clean your grill after every single use. Keep the garage door closed, even during the day.
If a bear does show up in your yard, Sauder suggests a DIY deterrent. Fill a soda can halfway with rocks and seal it with duct tape. Shake it, or throw it near the bear. It works without bear spray.
Most homeowners also don’t think about what’s happening underneath their property. If a bear has been hanging around your home long enough, it may look for shelter closer than you think, and knowing what to do in that situation matters more than most people realize.
Make noise. Make it uncomfortable. Let the bear know your yard is not a safe space.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just a nuisance story. It’s a safety issue, and the data backs that up.
El Paso County saw 567 bear reports in 2025 alone, a 102% increase, marking the highest bear activity the Pikes Peak region has seen in years.
Statewide, CPW received 5,259 bear reports between January and December 2025, the highest total since tracking began in 2019, and well above the seven-year average of 4,583.
The main driver behind almost every conflict is the same thing. Accessible human food. Trash. Bird feeders. Unlocked garages.
A bear that keeps returning for food is a bear that eventually gets euthanized under CPW’s two-strike policy. What feels like a cool backyard sighting today can end badly, for the bear and for your family’s safety.
For more on what CPW is seeing this season specifically on the east side, read the original KOAA report here.
Have you spotted a bear near your home this summer? Drop it in the comments. What street, what time, what happened. East Side residents sharing real sightings helps the whole neighborhood stay prepared.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. For emergencies or active bear threats, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife or your local authorities directly.
