Early Wednesday morning, a black bear was shot and killed by a homeowner after breaking into a home. The incident happened on Road 25 near Dolores at around 12:27 a.m. after the bear smashed a window to get inside.
The older bear, which was around 18 years old, was thought to have broken in after smelling cat and dog food inside.
At first, Jim and Charlene Sattley didn’t even realize the bear was inside their house, Charlene told the Journal. It was after their dog Buddy started barking “ballistically” that the couple realized something was wrong.
“We didn’t hear anything, so Buddy’s barking saved us,” Charlene said.
Jim left the bedroom first. Not too long later, Charlene said she heard him tell her to call 911 because a bear was in the house. It had dragged a bag of cat food into the family room and was looking for a way out.
Jim ended up shooting the bear, and the wound was fatal. Montezuma County deputies, Sheriff Steve Nowlin and Colorado Parks and Wildlife responded.
The bear had been seen at their property before, Charlene said, and had taken their outdoor cat and dog food containers. They brought all the remaining food into the house before the break-in.
“I feel sorry for the bears; they are so hungry,” Charlene said.
John Livingston, Southwest Region spokesman, told the Journal that bears who enter occupied homes are required to be euthanized under state policy. CPW has seen a record pace of black bear activity this year, which is driven by consecutive years of severe drought and a late freeze below 7,500 feet that has limited food sources like berries and acorns.
This year so far, that number of bear conflicts and sightings is at 6,129, CPW said in a news release. Last year during the same period, the number was logged at 3,115. The 2026 figures are on track to be the highest number since statewide digital reporting began in 2019.
Livingston said food scarcity is the main factor pushing wild animals deeper into populated areas, where they look for food in unsecured trash, bird feeders, pet food, barbecue grills and more.
“We have had a high number of bears getting into homes across the Southwest part of the state this year, many getting into refrigerators, freezers, pantries and trash once inside,” he said. “Bears have survived for generations through floods, drought, big snow years and bad snow years. They can feed on insects or carrion or other food sources even if berries, chokecherries and acorns aren’t coming in as plentiful this year. We can’t let them get used to accessing human-provided foods or else the problem will continue for multiple years to come.”
Residents who see a bear near their home should “haze” it immediately to let the bear know it is not welcome. Livingston recommended banging pots and pans, yelling, using an air horn or sounding a car alarm to scare the bear away. Residents who see a bear near their home should also report it to CPW.
“While a bear has an incredible memory and will remember getting a food reward somewhere for two years, it will also remember negative interactions and be less likely to return,” he said. “A bear that does not respond to hazing has grown too comfortable around homes and may need to be relocated.”
The best way to prevent unwanted bear visitors is to secure attractants so the bear can focus on searching for natural sources. Otherwise, it will become more and more comfortable with being around humans, a habit that can be passed down to cubs.
If a bear breaks in, there are multiple ways homeowners can respond.
“When a bear is in a home, the homeowners have the right to protect themselves and their property as they best see fit. People can barricade themselves inside a room and call law enforcement,” he said. “They can try to encourage the bear to leave from wherever it came in from, or they can use force if they choose to do so. I would make sure a bear always has an exit and that people don’t get in between a bear and its potential exit, regardless of what their personal comfort, ethics or decision making may be.”
CPW urges residents to follow BearWise’s at-home basics and report bear activity to local CPW offices. More information can be found at bearwise.org/six-bearwise-basics.
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