The ordeal of a bear who was seen wandering Boulder County with a chicken feeder bucket stuck is finally over.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers announced Wednesday that the feeder was successfully removed Tuesday with the help from a group of construction workers in Boulder County. 

Wildlife officers received two reported sightings of the bear with a bucket on its head along Four Mile Canyon Road, about one-quarter mile west of Salina, said Jason Clay, a spokesman for the state wildlife department. 

Wildlife officers remove a chicken feeder stuck on the head of this bear just west of #Boulder. The first report we received of this bear was on July 6, so that bucket had been on its head for at least one week before wildlife officers were able to free her of it. #WildlifeRescue pic.twitter.com/ltAi0JlnJ7

— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) July 14, 2021

Later in the day, wildlife officers received another reported sighting of the bear, but this time, it was from a group of construction workers who said the bear had climbed up a tree near where they were building a house. 

“The workers helped keep the bear up in the tree, which is a very important aspect of this entire story,” Clay said. 

When wildlife officers arrived they fired a tranquilizer dart but the the bear continued to climb higher in the tree. With some quick thinking, the officers were able to get the bear down from the tree safely. 

Bear with bucket on its head prompts warning in Colorado

“One of the officers put the ladder on the tree and climbed up higher to put a harness on the bear, so we could lower it down safely,” Clay said. 

Minutes later, the 1-year-old female’s neck and head were free. Wildlife officers said she was considered in good shape. There were no sores or open wounds, but the bear was a little thin, Clay said.

That shouldn’t cause any issues in the future.

“We’re still getting into summer, so bears still have a lot of time to pack on the calories as we progress through July, August and September,” Clay said.

Clay said there is an elk roaming around the Conifer area that has had a tire around its head for several years. Also, a moose has been reported to have hammocks or roping around its antlers.

“This is just a reminder that these are wild animals and it’s not as easy as just going up and catching them,” Clay said. “The public and the workers on site played a huge role in helping us being able to free that bear.”