Hiker Warning: Blood Mountain

[berninbush]

All joking aside... I'm afraid that bear is not long for this world. If he has already become that bold and unafraid of humans, it's only a matter of time before the park rangers have to put him down. Once they lose that inhibition, there's no going back. As someone else said, it won't be long before he's crawling into the shelters to forage in people's packs.

Yogi would have been summarily executed for his crimes in real life. Sad but true.

[Roots]

With the many upon many people that go through the shelter areas throughout March and April, the bear have learned what is in those bags hanging up in the trees. I met a few last week that lost their food. I slept with mine and didn't go hungry.

[freedompirate01]

Has anyone ever consider some firecrackers? Maybe the ones that are stringed up together and really loud?

[McKeever]

Is there anyone here who's thru-hiked and didn't use a bear bag?

Has anyone spent the $50 for the http://www.ursack.com/ ?

As posted here, regular bear bags can be defeated. I usually sleep w/food and to bear bag if really suspicious, but in either case I'm ready to pack up camp and move on and night hike if the bear comes thru.

Bears are hunted with dogs in southern states so they are mostly sensitized to human presence and will usually flee until fed once. It's like Roger the Ranger at Fontana said "a fed bear is a dead bear" because once it gets a food bag it's imprinted from then on and has to be relocated or killed because it's never going to quit.

It's sad to hear that the bear got the food bag once, then shameful to hear that later on in the same night was allowed to get another bag because the camp was not broken down and moved after the first theft (if I understood the first post correctly).

I usually just sleep with my food but have had to get up several times and move camp in the middle of the night because the bear just is not going to leave.

[mtnkngxt]

So why after the 1st bag did you not move or rerig the bags to a different hanging setup? Its not the bears fault, and its only a matter of time before the AT corridor goes to mandatory Food Canisters.

[DAJA]

So why after the 1st bag did you not move or rerig the bags to a different hanging setup? Its not the bears fault, and its only a matter of time before the AT corridor goes to mandatory Food Canisters.

Exactly... Once the bear made off with the first round, all remaining food should have been resecured using another method. And for those of you who sleep with your food, just remember, your food bag your using as a pillow, may someday be the easiest meal available...

[DAJA]

Just out of curiousity what method was being used? My method of choice is the PCT method and have never had problems with wildlife walking away with my food...

[kanga]

you ever try to punch someone underwater? you aren't gonna hurt a shark that way.

but lara croft did it!

[kanga]

All joking aside... I'm afraid that bear is not long for this world. If he has already become that bold and unafraid of humans, it's only a matter of time before the park rangers have to put him down. Once they lose that inhibition, there's no going back. As someone else said, it won't be long before he's crawling into the shelters to forage in people's packs.

Yogi would have been summarily executed for his crimes in real life. Sad but true.

not true. they've been trained that it's easy food for them. they can also be trained that it's painful food.

[nufsaid]

It is kind of interesting. In GA and NC most every one seems to be scared of or at least a bit nervous about bare encounters.
David

Please don't start a conversation about hike nekkid day.

[catfishrivers]

not true. they've been trained that it's easy food for them. they can also be trained that it's painful food.

or they can be trained to learn that the foodbags give them DIARRHEA. Ex-Lax Brownies are going in my decoy food bag! I just better make sure I remember which bag is my decoy bag!



(for the record, j/k)

[catfishrivers]

but it would help answer that famous, age old questions about bears and just where they poop in the woods...

[darkage]

but it would help answer that famous, age old questions about bears and just where they poop in the woods...

Thats already been answered on youtube ... just search bear sh** woods ..

Also a good reason to FILTER water ... you'll see-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPGFsgKDm_U

[gaga]

just play Frisbee with the bear ,that will tire him good AT woods hole shelter

[bloodmountainman]

Leave that bear alone!!!! We have an understanding...... he brings me groceries...... I don't hunt him and his kin during the fall.

[warraghiyagey]

Leave that bear alone!!!! We have an understanding...... he brings me groceries...... I don't hunt him and his kin during the fall.

Righteous. . .

[JDCool1]

A hungry bear cannot be held a bay by a sleeping hiker. Check out the bear attacks in Montana and California.

[weary]

All joking aside... I'm afraid that bear is not long for this world. If he has already become that bold and unafraid of humans, it's only a matter of time before the park rangers have to put him down. ......

I'm not sure why park rangers "have" to do anything. But I understand that is the usual practice. However, we shouldn't shy away from the truth. "Putting down" is a pleasant way to think about what happens. Rangers, in fact, kill the bear, using a gun that blows a hole in the bear. Sometimes the first shot doesn't kill the bear. If so, the bear sneaks away to die alone and in pain. If the bear is lucky the ranger will track it down and kill it with a second shot.

If the bear being "put down" is a female, she most likely will leave behind a cub or two, which will slowly starve to death without their mother.

Weary

[Heater]

Hikers are....smarter than the average bear.....

Yeah. Just don't carry your food in a pic-a-nic basket
and you should be OK.

[jigsaw]

i have some bear problems here at my house getting into my compost.i just gave him a few rounds from a paint ball gun havent seen him since.if he comes back he's gonna get the 12 gauge