Colo. residents debate cow and bear confrontation

A cow named Apple confronts a bear climbing over a fence into her pasture after the bear had been found in an apple tree in Hygiene, Colo., on Sunday. Officers with the Colorado Division of Wildlife were called to the scene, but by the time they arrived the bear was gone.

By From the Associated Press

Sept. 16, 2014 9:38 AM PT

HYGIENE, Colo. — It sounds like this cow had a beef with the bear. Neighbors spotted a cow and a wild bear nuzzling noses Sunday and playing in a pasture. The bear later dashed away, but no one’s sure whether the cow wanted the pasture for herself or more playtime.

Residents said the bear climbed an apple tree in the cow’s pasture. The cow, named Apple for her love of the fruit, ambled over to investigate.

“The cow, she thinks she’s a dog, so she’s interested in everything,” resident Penny Cox said.

Eventually, the bear took off, with Apple chasing after it.

Apple’s owner Nancy Dayton didn’t see the confrontation but thinks Apple might have wanted the bear to vamoose.

“We kind of joke she was defending her tree,” she said.

Dayton said Apple weighs about 1,200 pounds. There’s no sign either animal was hurt.