A very big bear was an exciting draw for Crested Butte visitors last week. Bears often visit town during the summer months though they are rarely a nuisance. This bruin in particular is not known for being a problem. And he probably won’t be in the future due to the stressful day he had. This large bear, estimated at around 450 pounds, spent 17 hours in a tree at the corner of 2nd & Elk. He went up the tree about five in the morning and didn’t come down until about 9:45 p.m. after the sun and the crowds had disappeared. CPW had interaction with nearly 1,000 people and passed out hundreds of “bear brochures” throughout the day.
“We used that incident as an educational opportunity” explained Chris Parmeter, district wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) in the Gunnison Basin. As for the bear, “The fact that a bear that big was spooked and stayed up there that long tells me he was a wild bear and not one used to the town. That is very unusual,” Parmeter explained. “He was definitely thirsty and hungry that day and we hope he was uncomfortable enough to learn not to come into town and do that again. Having a miserable experience could be a good learning lesson for the bear.” Read more on this exciting bear encounter here.
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