Grizzly and black bears are being attracted by Montana's eco-friendly paintball pellets. Photo / Supplied

Grizzly and black bears are being attracted by Montana's eco-friendly paintball pellets. Photo / Supplied

BILLINGS, Montana - A newly opened paintball course in Montana had to shut down after odour from disintegrated paintballs was luring possibly dangerous guests: bears.

Big Sky Marketing Director Dax Schieffer says the resort tried to find an environmentally friendly paintball.

But it turned out that the one selected contains a vegetable oil that can attract grizzly and black bears that commonly roam the region.

A wildlife official says that some bears were even eating unexploded paintballs.

The resort is on the side of a ski hill, and opened earlier this summer. It shut down in mid-July after the bear problem arose.

Schieffer says workers are now trying to find a paintball that won't attract bears.

- AP