Storing food in your tent when you're sleeping?

[vamelungeon]

For the same reasons you don't hear stories about rodents chewing holes into packs of moving hikers, but plenty while they're in camp.

What are those reasons? Well, the rodents might have a hard time doing that while you're moving but a bear wouldn't. Personally, I think bears understand POSSESSION and won't take it whether you're sleeping or not. If a bear will actually come into your tent and take away food that is in your possession that is a very dangerous bear. With all the people who sleep with their food you'd think there would be a rash of bears ripping into occupied tents and taking the food if the naysayers are correct, but there aren't. I say hanging your food attracts bears and teaches them to steal it. It encourages bad behavior, at least the way most people are hanging their food.

[leaftye]

What are those reasons? Well, the rodents might have a hard time doing that while you're moving but a bear wouldn't. Personally, I think bears understand POSSESSION and won't take it whether you're sleeping or not.

You think bears understand the concept of possession, but don't think they can understand that you're an easy target while sleeping and dangerous while awake? Perhaps you need to spend a few days and nights in a place like Yosemite. Spend the first few days walking around with food, and then spend the last few nights sleeping with your food. Let me know how that works out for you.

[hikerboy57]

yosemite doesnt happen to be in WV, does it?ive slept with my food for years and never had a problem. Yosemite? id hang or canister. but here?

[Connie]

Grizzley bears do rip into occupied tents.

Two girls had that happen: one horribly mauled, one dead.

What food did they have? Candy bars.

Boy Scouts have had bear incidents over toothpaste in their tent.

Bears are easily spoiled by getting human food. Why spoil a nice natural bear?

leaftye, You think bears understand the concept of possession...

+1 Bears rule the wilderness, challenged only by wolverines.

For a fact, we are soft-bodied, ridiculously weak and easily killed.

Bears swat a human, if we misbehave according to their own rules of behaviour, and we are mauled, maimed or killed.

[Wise Old Owl]

Hey we did this thread before! recent March & April

(Yep GA bears are nailing food bags)

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?82317

[Wise Old Owl]

For those of you that have a strong demeanor... its not hard to find photos of a a hiker/camper that was eaten by a black bear while sleeping in a tent & bag. Its graphic and real

[SunnyWalker]

I've never had a problem with bears and my tent/food. I do hang my food bag though or use the box provided. Here is one thought: if a bear does attack you or your tent/food bag you'll probably tell the Rangers, et al. Then that bear is going to get shot or moved. Is that a good outcome for some bravarooooo "I ain't gonna hang MY food bag!"??

[ChinMusic]

Here is one thought: if a bear does attack you or your tent/food bag you'll probably tell the Rangers, et al. Then that bear is going to get shot or moved. Is that a good outcome for some bravarooooo "I ain't gonna hang MY food bag!"??

Reality check please..........

On the AT, bear problems are NOT caused by keeping possession of your food.

Bear problems ARE caused by poor hanging and/or not keeping possession of your food.

Poor hanging = dead bears and poor hanging is more common than you think.

[rocketsocks]

What if I hang it in my tent,problem solved...No?

[vamelungeon]

You think bears understand the concept of possession, but don't think they can understand that you're an easy target while sleeping and dangerous while awake? Perhaps you need to spend a few days and nights in a place like Yosemite. Spend the first few days walking around with food, and then spend the last few nights sleeping with your food. Let me know how that works out for you.

Where is Yosemite located on the AT exactly?

[leaftye]

Where is Yosemite located on the AT exactly?

As you may not have surmised, that's not the point.

[peakbagger]

Unfortunately threads like these are used by some to justify poor backcountry practices. The odds are low that you will have a problem but if you do the consequences are potentially high. Even if the bear doesnt attack a person if they find food in a tent or hung from a mouse line in a shelter, its positive reinforcement for them to come back again.

[coach lou]

As you may not have surmised, that's not the point.

Maybe 20 yrs ago there was a National Geo Special showing how the Yosemite BLACK bears had learned to get in a car faster than a hood in the city. I remember mama showing boo boo how it was done.

[vamelungeon]

As you may not have surmised, that's not the point.

It's EXACTLY the point. The AT doesn't run through California or Montana or Alaska. I've seen people mention grizzlies. No grizzlies on the AT. This is an AT discussion forum. You may not have surmised that.

[Lone Wolf]

bears gettin' food from tents is a non-issue on the AT. bears gettin' food from ATC approved bear cables are the problem.

[coach lou]

I'm walkin' the Kittitany Ridge in July, so I'll let you guys know how I make out............I hope.........but, I also wear a bell, so maybe I won't see any or they may have a nice Italian meal!

[Pedaling Fool]

You think bears understand the concept of possession, but don't think they can understand that you're an easy target while sleeping and dangerous while awake?

Animals understand possession, that's why they hide their food. They just don't have the same concept of "rights of owernship" as us. In their world Might is Right. The "possession is 9/10 of the law" crap doesn't mean anything to them and it didn't mean anything to us before we developed society.

They don't see us as easy targets in our tents. They see us as easy targets in areas where they are not hunted and in areas where there's a lot of food available, i.e. in Georgia during thru-hiker season when people are hanging it out for their pickings...that has a big effect on their natural behavior towards us.

[Velvet Gooch]

Doin' it wrong. You have to mark what's yours. Urinate on everything you don't want molested by other animals

[Wise Old Owl]

I will vouch for that - Rugby urinates all around the outside of the house - havn't seen a cat in years.

[waasj]

Hang food...drink beer, problem solved