A Steamboat Springs man expecting a routine drive on Friday instead opened his pickup and found a black bear settled into the front seat, calmly nosing around the cab. After a tense standoff that lasted only a few moments, the owner banged on the hood and waved a long piece of wood, and the bear bolted out the driver’s side door into nearby brush without injuring anyone.
How the encounter unfolded
The truck’s owner, Andy Kerrigan, snapped photos of the surprise visit and later told Fox31 Denver that he banged on the hood and slapped a long wooden plank toward the animal until it decided it was time to leave. The bear kept rummaging through the front seat for a bit, then suddenly sprang from the cab and ran off. Neighbor Justin Pickar also captured the animal on a nest camera, as reported by Fox31 Denver.
Signs of a busy bear season
Wildlife educators say run-ins like this are getting more common as bears cruise through yards and neighborhoods searching for easy calories. Keep Bears Wild lead educator Christy Bubenheim told Steamboat Pilot & Today that trash, pet food, and bird seed are some of the usual suspects drawing bears into town. The paper also cited Colorado Parks and Wildlife data showing thousands of sightings and conflict reports across the state last year.
City guidance: lock your doors
Local officials warn that when bears regularly find human food, they can lose their natural caution around people and sometimes must be destroyed, so they urge residents to make neighborhoods as unwelcoming as possible for hungry wildlife by securing anything that might tempt a bear. Per the City of Steamboat Springs, people should never approach a bear, should back away slowly if they encounter one, keep pets leashed, and store trash in locked garages or bear-resistant containers. The city’s page also provides contact information for reporting sightings.
The episode is a quick reminder that even a locked yard or parked truck is not a guarantee that a curious bear will stay out. Officials urge residents in bear country to check vehicle doors and keep food and other attractants out of reach. For the original account and photos, see Fox31 Denver.
