Robin Leatherman discharges an inert canister of bear spray at Hilary Wood's Bear Fair station outside the community center on Saturday. Participants in the demonstration learned that bear spray doesn't shoot very far, especially if one's canister is several years old and the propellant has deteriorated.
Petersburg's Rainforest Festival added a new event last Saturday - a Bear Mini Fair - which drew Fish and Game wildlife education and outreach coordinator Abby McAllister from Juneau to talk with residents about living in bear country.
In a follow-up interview, McAllister told the Pilot that her central message for Petersburg is that conflicts with bears are almost entirely avoidable.
"All of the interactions that can be perceived as negative - whether it's a bear dumping trash out on the sidewalk, whether it's a bear that might be perceived as acting aggressive - all of these interactions are...
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