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Bear encounters can usually be described as a “surprise” when you consider most people don’t go out of their way to cross paths with those animals. That was certainly the case with one man in Colorado, who recently encountered a very unexpected sight after opening the door of his pickup truck.
Colorado sits in the Top 10 when it comes to the states that boast the most bears, as experts believe it is home to between 18,000 and 20,000 black bears. That particular species usually doesn’t go out of its way to bother people, but you still want to keep an eye out if you’re taking advantage of the many parks and hiking trails it has to offer.
Most of those bears can be found in and around the Rocky Mountains (sightings east of the central artery that is 1-25, which essentially delineates the divide between Coloraod’s mountainous areas and the plains, tend to be very few and far between), and people who live in cities and towns in the foothills tend to be accustomed to their presence.
However, there’s only so much you can do to prepare for an encounter like the one a man in a ski town in the northwest part of the state recently had.
A Colorado man warded off a bear with a 2×4 after unexpectedly finding it inside his pickup truck
Steamboat Springs is firmly in the heart of Colorado’s bear country, and its residents are advised to lock down their trash cans and minimize potential sources of food on their property to avoid attracting animals on the hunt for an easy meal.
However, those enterprising mammals are known for taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, and as one guy recently learned, that includes making their way through the open window of a vehicle in the search for some grub.
According to KDVR, that specific vehicle was a pickup truck that belongs to a contractor named Andy Kerrigan, who was doing some work at a home in Colorado Springs on June 23rd when he opened his passenger-side door and recoiled after finding a bear staring back at him.
A man was shocked to find a black bear in the front seat of his pickup truck outside a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He eventually chased the bear off. No injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/HftAFRcXYc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 30, 2026
The bear, which appeared to be a yearling that is likely on its own for the first time this season, seems pretty unbothered by the intrusion, and it remained in the cab as Kerrigan pulled out his phone to document the encounter as he pounded on the truck in an attempt to scare it off.
That didn’t work, but he had a bit more success after picking up a wooden board he used to successfully shoo it away.
Something tells me he’ll be keeping his windows closed from now on.