Livestock eating bear shot, killed

Caught in the act, a poultry house marauding black bear was shot and killed by a rancher east of Granite Monday evening. The bear did not have an ear tag and was not previously known to wildlife officials as a problem bear. Randy Hancock, Colorado Division of Wildlife district wildlife manager, said the 2- to 3-year-old boar weighed 175 pounds and had made raids on the ranch for the past three weeks. The rancher did everything possible to get rid of attractants such as properly stowing seed, feed and a barbecue grill, Hancock said. Earlier wildlife officials set a bear trap to no avail and recommended the rancher shoot the bear to protect their livestock. "It wiped out a flock of chickens and ripped through the barn door," Hancock said Tuesday. "This week the bear got into the turkeys, killing 14 of 16." The bear plagued the rancher by beating on doors and windows at the ranch house during the night. A relative of the ranch owner, using a shotgun loaded with slugs and a clear 20-yard line of fire, put the bear down, Hancock said...Mountain Mail