[pct-l] Are the bears learning from the thru hikers?

[Brick Robbins]

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5756809/ns/us_news-weird_news/t/bear-downs-beers-passes-out-campground/

BAKER LAKE, Wash. —

When state Fish and Wildlife agents recently found a black bear passed
out on the lawn of 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 east of Mount
Baker.

Fish and Wildlife enforcement Sgt. Bill Heinck said the bear did try
one can of Busch, but ignored the rest. The beast then 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.”