Bears are attracted to the pepper bear spray after use. Frequently, bears will come to the scene of a spraying incident to lick up the pepper spray here in Alaska. After using the spray, the best wisdom is to get as far away as possible.
As the joke goes:
Park Rangers are advising hikers to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area.
Bear scat often contains berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur as well as small bells and smell of pepper.
