Colorado Handyman Encounters Black Bear Eating Lunch Inside His Truck

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Colorado residents should keep a close eye on their meals, as a recent video shows a black bear taking a bite out of a handyman’s lunch inside his truck. The footage, captured by a garage‑camera, quickly went viral on social media.

Andy Kerrigan, a handyman from Colorado, opened the door of his truck to find a young black bear sitting in the passenger seat eating his sandwich. “He was sitting shotgun eating my lunch,” Kerrigan told The New York Times. Startled, Kerrigan stepped back, recorded a few photos, and then pounded on the vehicle in an attempt to scare the animal away. The bear remained undisturbed.

Kerrigan then approached the opposite side of the truck. “He basically charged me, and that’s when I backed up and fell on my derrière,” he recalled. After getting back on his feet, he managed to coax the bear out by gently nudging it with a piece of wood.

Viewers reacted with humor, noting “The guy literally poked a bear 😮😂” and “Real men boop the snoot.” Others warned against photographing wildlife in close quarters, reminding that mother bears often protect their cubs nearby.

How to Handle a Bear Encounter

If you encounter a bear, remain calm and speak in a firm, steady voice. Raise your arms slowly to appear larger, but avoid sudden movements or loud noises that could startle the animal. If you’re with others, stay together and keep small children close.

Never run; black bears can sprint up to 30 mph and grizzlies up to 40 mph. Instead, back away slowly, moving sideways. Do not climb a tree, as bears are excellent climbers. When walking a dog, keep the leash short and try to keep the animal calm.

In rare cases, small pets have surprised bears. For example, a five‑pound Pomeranian once chased a black bear out of a house, demonstrating that courage can come in unexpected packages.

For more entertaining wildlife videos, see the neighborhood raccoon and possum that raid a resident’s snacks, and the snowy owls engaged in a “yap‑off.”