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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Spring flowers are returning to Colorado Springs, and so are black bears.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife said they started receiving reports of bear sightings in the Pikes Peak Region in late March.

Officials said those sightings are earlier than usual, and bears typically start waking up in mid-April. They said one possible reason for the early start is the mild winter Colorado Springs experienced, but regardless of the reason, officials said now is the time to take steps to keep humans and bears safe.

"If you live in bear country now is the time of year to look around your property," Michael Seraphin, Public Information Specialist with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Southeast Region, said. "Make sure that you remove the types of things that bears like to eat. If they come through your yard, and they don't find something readily available and easy to eat, then they'll continue to move on."

For those that live in bear country, like Brad Tews, who lives in the Broadmoor Bluffs area, bear sightings are quite common.

"They can come to your front door step almost, literally, actually," Tews said. "Actually it's kind of neat. If you have your doors locked and windows too, and you keep your distance then it's fine."

But when bears get too comfortable within city limits, it can be dangerous.

"Bears would just as soon be away from people as near people, but when they find a readily available food source, that entices them to stick around," Seraphin said.

Seraphin said when bears first wake up they search for tender greens, grass, and any plants that are beginning to bud.

"They're primarily vegetarians, so if they don't find any human food sources, that moves them back into areas where they're finding natural forage," Seraphin said.

In Colorado, problem bears get two strikes before they are killed.

"The first time that we have a nuisance bear, that bear can be relocated," Seraphin said. "At that time it's given an ear tag, and data about the bear is recorded. If that bear returns back to the same place and gets in trouble again, or it gets in trouble in its new location, that would be what we consider strike two, and at that time the bear is euthanized."

Seraphin said dangerous bears are dealt with immediately, and those that break into homes or exhibit aggressive behavior can be euthanized right away.

"Because we have a two strike policy doesn't mean the bear automatically gets two strikes. It means two is the maximum number," he said.

Seraphin added it's up to humans to do their part to keep bears safe.

"People are the ones that we can work with to change their behaviors, it's very difficult to change a wild animal's behavior," he said

Officials recommend removing easily accessible food sources from around your home.

"Trash and bears are one of the main attractants that we find around homes that keep bears living in and around people," Seraphin said. "It's important for people to secure their trash, to keep it in a good tight container. If you have a bear-proof container that's great, but if you don't the next best thing is to not set your trash out until the very last minute before pick up. Setting it out the night before and leaving it on the curb all night long is kind of an open invitation for a bear to get into your trash."

Tews knows how much of a problem the trash is.

"Trash is a same day roll out, so no overnights because they will usually come after it," Tews said.

Seraphin said as people continue to move more into bear territory, it's important to learn how to coexist.

"If people take all the necessary steps to prevent bear problems in the first place then we don't have to worry about whether that bear's gonna get strike one, or strike two, because we're doing everything we can to prevent that from happening in the first place," Seraphin said.