Alaska study: Bear spray 98% effective

A new study indicates that commercial bear-deterrent sprays are effective in the prevention bear attacks, maybe even more effective than firearms. The report, appearing in the Wildlife Management Journal, examined 83 bear-spray incidents from 1985 to 2006 involving 61 grizzly bears, 20 black bears and two polar bears. On the downside, the author of the study admits that spray residue has been found to attract brown bears rather than repel them--something that can't be said about firearms. Craig Medred in the Anchorage Daily News.