New Colorado law you might want to know about if you are visiting – BEARS!

Negligently Luring Bears – Colorado

C.R.S. § 33-6-131

Colorado law regulates the intentional placement of food or edible waste in the open when the purpose is to lure a wild bear.

The statute in the uploaded source is C.R.S. § 33-6-131, “Knowingly luring bears.” The source identifies the statute as current through July 1, 2026, while also noting that the text was not yet final pending comparison with the Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services.

Knowingly Luring Bears

Under the version of the statute contained in the source document:

Unless otherwise permitted by commission rule, it is unlawful for any person to place food or edible waste in the open with the intent of luring a wild bear to such food or edible waste.

The statute contains exceptions for agriculture and provides that “food or edible waste” does not include live animals or food grown in the open before the food is harvested.

Penalties Under the Prior Version

The source document states that a person violating the section would be given a warning. Upon a second or subsequent violation, the person would be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding:

• $200 for a first offense;
• $1,000 for a second offense; or
• $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense.

The statutory history in the source states that the section was added in 2003 and that subsection (3) was amended in 2019.

2026 Legislative Update

Important: The law changed after the version reproduced in the uploaded document.

Colorado enacted HB 26-1342, “Negligently Luring Bears,” during the 2026 legislative session. The Colorado General Assembly reports that the bill was signed by the Governor on May 27, 2026, and that the resulting session law became effective August 12, 2026.

The legislation changes the legal standard from conduct undertaken with the intent to lure a wild bear to a standard involving knowingly placing food or edible waste in the open under circumstances where there is a reasonable probability of luring a wild bear. It also removes the prior requirement that a first offense receive a warning and increases the maximum fine for a third or subsequent offense from $2,000 to $5,000.

Consequently, the statutory language reproduced above should not be treated as the current version of Colorado law after August 12, 2026. The uploaded document reflects the earlier version of C.R.S. § 33-6-131.

Source

Colorado Revised Statutes, § 33-6-131.

Colorado General Assembly, HB 26-1342 – Negligently Luring Bears, 2026 Regular Session.

This article is provided for informational purposes and is not legal advice.