Bears stealing food bags again

[rsmout]

I've had three close encounters with black bears over the last forty years - one in the Shenandoah, one in the Maryland Alleghenies, and one out in the West. From all the other people I've talked to who have had similar encounters, we all seem to agree on a few things. One is that bear canisters work, but be sure you get it down in the ground or under a rock with a can or pot on top to let you know the bear is after it. The only time I would bring the canister in the tent with me is if I'm on a slope and couldn't get the canister anchored any other way - I had a friend hear his canister take a 1000-foot trip down the mountain one night. Second, if you have the food, the bear isn't going to fight you for it. If the food is hanging in the air, it's fair game, and the bear will have to be persuaded to leave, but it might come back. And third, if the bear has the food, it will bluff or fight to keep it, so you might as well concede the issue. The PCT method of bear bagging has a lot going for it - people should learn it and practice in the park or their backyards before they hit the trail.

[SouthMark]

Don't think anyone is afraid of Black Bear attacks, the subject was about loosing food you are depending on.

I say they are afraid of attacks and that is why they are afraid to sleep with their food in their tent.

[Pedaling Fool]

I say they are afraid of attacks and that is why they are afraid to sleep with their food in their tent.

Yes, I would agree with that.

[Skidsteer]

+ 1.......

[LoneRidgeRunner]

I've been hanging my food for years..And have NEVER fed a bear! I've seen photos of food bags hung on hiking poles..a whopping 3 feet off of the ground!..of course a bear can get that ..a coon could get that ..I've seen it hung right against the tree trunk..duh....And against the limb from which it is hung duh again... go ahead ..leave it in your tents.....then lose your tent AND your food ....that is just genius!

[earlyriser26]

Agree with LW, I have been hiking on the AT since 1969 and almost always keep my food in my tent. If there is a known bear problem I will hang it, but maybe only 2 or 3 times in my life.

[kanga]

i always sleep with my food and have for over 20 years. never had anything come looking for it. iirc, last year when the problem bear was around neel, i slept with my food on cowrock on an overnight. so did the others i was with.

[kanga]

however.. if i was to ever visit grizzly country, my food would not be anywhere near me while sleeping.

[SouthMark]

I sleep with my food and use my food bag as a pillow. I don't drink the park service and forest service legal department's kool aid. Black bear's actions have been lumped together with grizzly's. I have always wondered when hanging all of your smellables including toothpaste, how do you hang your after dinner breath and you brushed teeth and gums unless you wear dentures.

[shwn354]

the only food i ever hear gets taken is hanging in a tree. I feel safer with my food in my tent. if it was up in a tree i'd be worried some critter was munching on it. In my tent i know that its there beside me, plus i can go in for the midnight snack if i so desire. I think a bear would much rather tangle with a piece of rope than a hiker in a tent.

[Ratman and Tumbler]

gotta sleep with your food. it won't get taken.

I agree lone wolf.. ratman and I slept with our food for the entire hike last year and we never had any problems with the bear. Two fellow hikers that we were hiking with had theirs taken and we were right behind the shelter in a tent.

[SouthMark]

Of course there is no guarantee that you will not be attacked, mauled or whatever if you have your food in your tent with you but a person is about 180 times more likely to be killed by a bee than by a black bear and 160,000 times more likely to die in a traffic accident. Most fatal black bear attacks in the US have been by captive bears.

[BigHodag]

First hand account of the bear bagging gone wrong incident on TrailJournals.com:

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=339166

[max patch]

The only thing suprising about Mother Natures post is that it also didn't include a bear eats food warning at Low Gap. That will probably come later.

[Egads]

Ya know what would be really cool & helpful? a vid showing the yogi's in action so we know what not to do.

[nufsaid]

A case can certainly be made that those that hang their food in black bear country are actually only chumming for bears. Grizzlies are a different situation altogether.

[nufsaid]

I've been hanging my food for years..And have NEVER fed a bear! I've seen photos of food bags hung on hiking poles..a whopping 3 feet off of the ground!..of course a bear can get that ..a coon could get that ..I've seen it hung right against the tree trunk..duh....And against the limb from which it is hung duh again... go ahead ..leave it in your tents.....then lose your tent AND your food ....that is just genius!

But did you encourage bears to check out free food hung away from human interference??

[nufsaid]

I am guilty of giving credence to things that are said by those with impressive titles, or even online user names. But not all user names represent the user. For instance LoneRidgeRunner has never been a ridge runner in the AT understanding.

[nufsaid]

I am guilty of giving credence to things that are said by those with impressive titles, or even online user names. But not all user names represent the user. For instance LoneRidgeRunner has never been a ridge runner in the AT understanding.

OK, maybe in the sense of bootlegging. But not an AT volunteer/employee.

[Skidsteer]

Of course there is no guarantee that you will not be attacked, mauled or whatever if you have your food in your tent with you but a person is about 180 times more likely to be killed by a bee than by a black bear and 160,000 times more likely to die in a traffic accident. Most fatal black bear attacks in the US have been by captive bears.

So if I tent at the zoo I really should hang my food.

Check.