Colo. residents debate cow and bear confrontation*

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 18, 2008
Filed at 7:25 p.m. ET

HYGIENE, Colo. (AP) -- 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.

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