A friend called me to get the phone number of the Wildlife Officer who deals with bears. I went to their home down in the Highway 34 canyon on the way to Loveland. A bear had tipped over a birdseed container they had chained to the tree and he was feasting. I got there just as the Wildlife Officer fired a shot of rubber pellets from her shotgun. The bear, very black and bigger than the bears we have had right in Estes Park, took off running and she fired a second shot at him. Boy, he was running fast. It is amazing to see them waddling along on their slow walk and then trying to realize how fast they can really move. So we spent a half an hour cleaning up birdseed, and then pepper sprayed the area around the container in case he comes back. We warned the family to not go near that area for at least a couple of days until the residual of the pepper spray wears off or a good rain washes it off. That is nasty stuff!
Being out in the dark with a flashlight checking to make sure the bear was gone - one does not have any trouble staying alert! Every little night sound of the forest sounded like the bear was right there. In truth he was probably a mile away and still running… but the mind is not ready to accept that.
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I had the privilege of being able to visit Estes Park this past mid-August (Vacation). I have been out there many, many times and have always seen the varied wildlife, but never a bear; until this year! We actually saw two black bear. They were in the hills on the North side of 34 around where W. Wonderview and W. Elkhorn meet. We snapped a couple of pictures.
While I found this to be exciting I must admit it was my own selfishness of wanting to view more wildlife. I am sorry that at the time I did not consider the impact to the residents of Estes Park.
What a beautiful place. I've often wondered what it would take to move there (perhaps acquire a successful business that one is retiring from?)
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