ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - Colorado wildlife officials are considering nearly doubling the number of bear hunting licenses available to try to control the animals' population and reduce run-ins with people.

The Aspen Times reports that the Colorado Wildlife Commission will consider a proposal by the end of the month to issue 1,200 bear tags this year. The proposal comes a year after wildlife officials killed 20 bears in Aspen because of human encounters. That number was a record.

Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton says hunters killed 33 bears last year. The licenses are issued for areas that include Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Vail.

Hampton says increasing the number of bear hunting licenses won't necessarily mean more bears will be killed.

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Information from: The Aspen Times, http://www.aspentimes.com/