Stepping barefoot on a LEGO brick has long been associated with an extreme amount of pain. However, that pain tends to quickly fade after a sharp spike, unlikely to cause permanent damage. A similar tactic being recommended by officials in Colorado uses a similar shock tactic to keep bears away from places they’re not wanted.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) are recommending residents of bear county put out an “unwelcome mat” to teach black bears to stay away. When the bears step onto the mat, they get a “quick pinch and a painful reminder to stay out of the area.”

“It’s the equivalent to stepping barefoot on a LEGO,” CPW explained in a tweet. “Unwelcome mats could be life-saving for a bear by saving it a crucial ‘strike’ that may help it avoid euthanization.”

A nail board, also known as an “unwelcome mat,” is a strip of plywood with screws or nails protruding from the surface every few inches. They can be placed in front of doors and windows to discourage bears from entering specific areas of the home.

While they may hurt and even make a little prick, these mats leave no injury or long-term damage to the bear.

Officials say bears can pick up a scent from over a mile away. They are attracted to garbage cans, pet food, dirty barbecue grills, bird seed, bee hives, and any other aroma coming from inside the kitchen or home.

Of the 44,943 “human-bear conflicts” documented last year, CPW says a third of were caused by trash. Conflicts often originate from human-provided food sources, such as unsecured garbage cans or refrigerators left accessible by open garage doors or in houses with open windows and doors.

More than a hundred bears were euthanized in 2020, including one in Manitou Springs for attacking a woman who was walking home from work.

For more information on living with wildlife and bear-proofing your home from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, click here.