State plans Aspen community forum on bears

ASPEN • State wildlife officials plan a community meeting in Aspen to sort through how to avoid the problems that have forced them to kill 12 bears this summer.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife will host the Oct. 15 meeting. Agency spokesman Randy Hampton says officers relocated 27 bears this summer from Aspen after clashes with people.

This summer has been comparable to 2007, when a late freeze and a drought wiped out much of the bears' natural food, sending them in search of food in Aspen homes and trash cans.

Northwest Colorado wildlife manager Ron Velarde says bringing in dozens of additional state wildlife officers didn't help the situation this summer in Aspen.