Bear In Fort Collins Gets A Second Chance

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - A bear is headed back to the mountains after visiting neighborhoods in Fort Collins.

On Monday wildlife officers tranquilized the bear in a back yard near the intersection of Taft Hill and Horsetooth Roads. The bear ventured around a trap baited with apples but didn't trip the door, so the dart gun came out.

The Division of Wildlife says the bear had spent too much time lately in the neighborhoods on the southwest side of Fort Collins.

"He just wasn't going to leave this area and so rather than risk him getting in trouble; getting caught in a situation where he shouldn't be, we wanted to get him and get him out of here and get him back into the mountains," said Shane Craig, District Wildlife Manager.

Since the bear had never been tagged before it got a second chance and will be released in the mountains west of Fort Collins.