TRINIDAD, Colo. — Officers with Colorado Parks and Wildlife have cited a man in Trinidad for shooting bear cubs outside of his home.
On Sept. 17, a man shot at a sow and her three cubs that were killing chickens outside his home in Trinidad, CPW said. Two of the cubs were killed and a third was rescued by CPW officers.
The cub, a male who was about 40 pounds, was released into a bear habitat, CPW said.
CPW officers tried to trap the mother bear but were unsuccessful. The agency has asked neighbors to keep a look out for the sow and to contact CPW if it returns.
The man was cited for careless discharge of a firearm, according to CPW. The citation is a class 2 misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of $100 to $1,000.
“This is a highly unusual situation inside city limits. Property owners are within their legal rights to defend their livestock if their animals are being attacked by predators, such as bears or lions," CPW Area Wildlife Manager Mike Brown said. “However, this individual was shooting a rifle inside city limits and we deemed it an act that endangered human life and property of neighbors.”