BAKER LAKE, Wash. - Rain-eeeeer .... Bear? 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.
Ah, another happy camper.
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.
Rainier beer. Preferred two to one in bear taste tests
Fish and Wildlife enforcement Sgt. Bill Heinck said the bear did try one can of Busch, but ignored the rest.
Side note: Bears can read!
"He didn't like that (Busch) and consumed, as near as we can tell, about 36 cans of Rainier."
You know, Rainier beer sales have been failing since the 80's, I wouldnt be too surprised if this isnt a publicity stunt of some sort.
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.
Nothing works better to rid yourself of a hangover than another beer.
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.
| They live trapped some guy named Homer three times before they caught the bear. |
"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." |