How Long to Spray a Grizzly

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A group of grizzly bear managers is dropping its recommendation for how long people should spray a can of bear spray when they encounter a charging grizzly.

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee decided Tuesday to no longer recommend people spray at bears for six seconds. The move comes after competing claims from Montana bear spray companies over which brand best drives off grizzlies.

The company Counter Assault had advertised its spray cans as lasting between 7 and 9 seconds and noted that Butte-based bear spray maker UDAP's products only sprayed for 4 to 5.4 seconds.

UDAP filed legal action, claiming the committee had no grounds to say one spray duration was better than another.

A committee representative says the group wants to encourage people to use bear spray safely and doesn't want to get into product endorsements.