Beer Drinking Bear

Beer Drinking Bear
Originally uploaded by mryosemite.

Associated Press
August 18th, 2004

Washington - When state Fish and Wildlife agents recently found a black bear passed out on the lawn at Baker Lake Resort, there were some clues scattered nearby - dozens of empty cans of Rainier Beer.

The bear apparently got into campers' coolers and used his claws and teeth to puncture the cans. And not just any cans.

"He drank the Rainier and wouldn't drink the Busch beer," said Lisa Broxson, bookkeeper at the campground and cabins resort.

Fish and Wildlife enforcement Sgt. Bill Heinck said the bear did try one can of Busch, but ignored the rest. "He didn't like that Busch beer and near as we can tell, he consumed about 36 cans of Rainier."

A wildlife agent tried to chase the bear from the campground but the animal just climbed a tree to sleep it off for another four hours. Agents finally herded the bear away, but it returned the next morning.

Agents then used a large, humane trap to capture it for relocation, baiting the trap with the usual: doughnuts, honey and, in this case, two open cans of Rainier. That did the trick.

"This is a new one on me," Heinck said. "I've known them to get into cans, but nothing like this. And it definitely had a preference."

When later interviewed, a tourist that saw the whole thing said, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. Who would have thought that a bear could have a preference when it comes to beer? At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. Then I saw him drink a can of Busch Beer. As soon as he finished it, he started licking his ass - probably trying to kill the taste in his mouth. That's when I knew for sure, this bear definitely has a preference."

Please note: despite the use of doughnuts, no policemen were captured or killed during the relocation of the bear.