Bears in Colorado, like those in many other states, will face harsh conditions this fall. A prolonged drought has diminished the acorns and berries that black bears depend on to fatten up before hibernation, and the result is a record wave of hungry bears pushing into towns, breaking into homes, and getting into serious trouble. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has already euthanized 294 bears in 2026 — a 250% jump over last year — and relocated nearly three times as many as they had by this point in 2025.
Of course, none of this is the bears’ fault. When natural food fails, bears do what any hungry animal does: they go looking for calories wherever they can find them. The problem is that once a bear learns a home, campsite, or trailhead means food, it rarely unlearns that lesson — and that’s usually what turns a healthy wild animal into a “conflict bear” that has to be relocated or put down. As bears push harder into human spaces this fall, the choices people make about food, trash, and attractants matter more than ever. That’s exactly where Leave No Trace’s guidance comes in.
Respect Wildlife, Principle 6
Leave No Trace’s sixth principle, Respect Wildlife, exists for moments like this one. The core idea is simple: never feed wildlife, intentionally or not, because it teaches animals to associate people with an easy meal. In bear country, that means treating anything with a scent — food, trash, toothpaste, deodorant, even sunscreen — as bear attractant, and storing it in a bear canister, a bear-resistant locker, or a locked vehicle rather than leaving it out. (In areas with lots of problem bears, even locked cars may be considered unsafe.) It also means giving bears space and never approaching them for a closer look or a photo.
Food Storage Isn’t Optional
Leave No Trace’s food storage guidance is straightforward: store food and smellables every time you step away from your site or turn in for the night, not just when you remember. That habit matters just as much at a trailhead parking lot or a backyard bordering open space as it does deep in the backcountry. Once a bear becomes “food habituated,” it stops foraging naturally and starts searching out humans instead — which is precisely the cycle Colorado is watching play out right now.
BearWise Basics Backing It Up
BearWise.org, a nonprofit organization, echoes the same core message with practical steps: secure garbage and recycling, bring bird feeders in during active bear season, never leave pet food outside, and clean grills after every use. On the trail, it adds more Leave No Trace-aligned advice: hike in groups and make noise so bears know you’re there, pack out every scrap of food waste (yes, even apple cores), keep dogs leashed, and carry bear spray — the single most effective tool for ending a close encounter safely.
Small Choices, Real Consequences
This fall, bears are working against drought, wildfire, and a shrinking supply of natural food, all while trying to pack on enough weight to survive winter. Every secured trash can, every properly stored backpack, and every respectful distance kept is a small thing—but multiplied across thousands of households and hikers, those choices keep bears wild instead of turning them into statistics. Following Leave No Trace’s guidance won’t fix the drought, but it can keep more bears from ever crossing that line rangers dread — the one that ends with relocation or euthanasia instead of a bear simply going back to being a bear.
For more on living safely alongside bears, visit bearwise.org or explore Leave No Trace’s Respect Wildlife principle at LNT.org.
