View Full Version : Not a Trace of Scent
Harmless
09-07-2015, 15:00
I'm ursaphobic due to an encounter with a pair of persistent bears. Consequently, I want no trace of desirable-to-bear scent on/in my pack, which I store in my tent vestibule.
Food goes in a bear canister, away from camp.
Dental care goes in the bear canister.
Purell and soap goes in the bear canister.
Sun screen, bug dope, and lip balm go in the bear canister, and I'll wash them off me at day's end.
I do not put flavoring in my water, so I don't worry about my water bottle.
I'm not cooking, so I don't have cookwear with food scent, or cooking smells in my clothes.
I'm carrying Coleman camper toilet paper, so that *shouldn't* have added scent.
My clothes are washed with un-scented detergent, and dried without fabric softener
Have I missed any scent sources?
If I carry a Nalgene bottle with food in it in a pack pocket during the day, and that Nalgene bottle goes with the food at night, will there be any trace of food smell left in the pack?
(Yeah, I'm a little nuts about food smell. My bear encounter was unpleasant.)
If you're going all the way be sure to use unscented soap when you wash the goop off you.
Also trash of course and anything the opened wrappers touch.. So really just have a good system of ziplock bags that keeps food from touching your pack and leaving oils/crumbs on the pack fabric. Otherwise the pack will just smell like stinky you.
Of course I need to pit the disclaimer on for others (your situation is understandable...best to be outdoors than stay inside..do what you gotta do). These steps are extreme and are not needed for normal hikers on the AT and other major trails...this is a specific response to Kleinfelter and others with such a phobia. (Other hikers please read the other threads on overcoming more typical fear of bears.)
gregpphoto
09-07-2015, 17:13
Have I missed any scent sources?
Your balls.
It sounds like youd be super well off even in Grizz country, let alone black bear. Pack some whiskey, relax, and enjoy yourself.
gregpphoto
09-07-2015, 17:14
Oh and as far as I know bears are not attracted to whiskey.
Vegan Packer
09-07-2015, 17:18
Bear canisters only keep the bears out. They do not keep the scents from emanating from your contents. I've been putting an OPSak in my canister, and then loading the contents, but they are such a pain to deal with (time consuming closure process), and they don't last long (easy to rip when opening) before it's time to replace them. At this point, I am likely not to replace mine when the bag fails, and I am just going to hope that canister positioning at night is enough, unless someone has a better answer.
The sights, sounds and smells of the woods are what makes it so special, particularly in the early hours of the day...and you're gonna stink a little if you hike a lot.. Makes scents right?
BirdBrain
09-07-2015, 17:45
It is impossible to remove all scent. A bear will smell some stuff no matter what you do. I believe it is wise to not bring a bunch of useless smells like scented soap or toothpaste. Do what you can. Don't fool yourself to think you will stop the bear from being able to smell anything. The bear will smell you and it will smell your stuff. The goal should be to create a high you to other stuff ratio.
Perhaps google something like "what scents bears don't like" and see if there is anything there that is not utterly foul to humans and bring some of that??
Odd Man Out
09-07-2015, 18:32
Perhaps google something like "what scents bears don't like" and see if there is anything there that is not utterly foul to humans and bring some of that??
From an email exchange I had with a well known bear biologist (this was specifically about black bears). He said that the bear's desire to avoid you is greater than its desire to get your food. So indeed your own odor is your best repellent amd will easilly overwhelm trace ofors once the main sources of odor (food, toiletries ) are removed. He said that extreme measures such as not sleeping in clothes you cook in are misguided and there is no evidence to support these kinds of practices.
Harmless
09-07-2015, 20:39
Thank you, particularly to Cobble.
I'm aware that there are many smells and that I'll be among them. Since they can smell road kill at 18 miles, I'm certain that any bear downwind will know I'm there.
I once spent a long night with two atypical bears who showed persistence in checking me out. (Not my stuff -- me.) When they came within a dozen feet, I could get them to back off to about 20, but this went on for about 6 hours. I'm not entirely rational about bears any longer. When they show up, I'll magnify any risk 100-fold, so I'm working to get my risks low enough that 100x isn't real big.
If they want to play soccer with my bear canister (placed 200 feet away), I think I can handle that, so long as I'm confident that I (and my immediate space) don't don't have any appealing smells.
If it makes you feel better a Bear Spray Cannister might provide another level of control for you. Personally I'd suggest dropping the bear cannister for an Ursack or regular sack since it will be away from you anyway during the night.. The important thing from what you said is preventing a run in rather than protecting your food...so odor control should be paramount.
Then use the weight savings for a bear spray cannister that you can strap to the front shoulder strap of your pack. That way its always there providing the feeling of control.
Your campsite will probably have food smells.
gregpphoto
09-07-2015, 23:27
Thank you, particularly to Cobble.
I'm aware that there are many smells and that I'll be among them. Since they can smell road kill at 18 miles, I'm certain that any bear downwind will know I'm there.
I once spent a long night with two atypical bears who showed persistence in checking me out. (Not my stuff -- me.) When they came within a dozen feet, I could get them to back off to about 20, but this went on for about 6 hours. I'm not entirely rational about bears any longer. When they show up, I'll magnify any risk 100-fold, so I'm working to get my risks low enough that 100x isn't real big.
If they want to play soccer with my bear canister (placed 200 feet away), I think I can handle that, so long as I'm confident that I (and my immediate space) don't don't have any appealing smells.
When bear soccer is going on youre actually supposed to go out and scare em away. Sounds nuts, I know, but canisters are bear resistant, not bear proof, and we dont want bears having enough time to figure out how to open one, cuz with enough time they absolutely will, no doubt in my mind. Yellow Yellow and the Bearvault are proof of this.
Considering that black bears almost never kill humans in the lower 48 (six have been killed from 2000-2015, of which four were in a backcountry setting), sounds like you should take it for what it was: you had an awesome experience that most of us arent lucky enough to get.
You are fooling yourself if you believe you can eliminate food smells from your gear. You carry your gear and food in the same backpack for hours or days. A bear could smell your tent and pick up not only food but that it was ramen, which flavor and whether they were getting stale.
BirdBrain
09-08-2015, 08:47
You are fooling yourself if you believe you can eliminate food smells from your gear. You carry your gear and food in the same backpack for hours or days. A bear could smell your tent and pick up not only food but that it was ramen, which flavor and whether they were getting stale.
Exactly. I was a trapper as a boy and as a young man. People are completely clueless in comprehending what an animal can smell. They do all kinds of silly things in an attempt to hide things from animals on the trail. It is hard enough when you are at home and can dedicate a shed to trapping equipment. It is absolutely impossible to eliminate odors that attract animals while you are on the trail. You might as well be rolling in bacon. A bear has about as good an ability as it gets. Regardless of method, people need to grasp that fact. Eventually someone will make a comment about how you get lucky with your food because you are not in a bears area. If you are within 10 miles of a bear, you are in its area. It knows you are there and knows what you are carrying. Minimize issues. Smell like a human. However, don't fool yourself. It knows you are there and it knows what you are carrying.
Knowing this, pick methods that maximize what a bear fears (smelling like a human) and minimizes what it wants (your food). Choose wisely how you store your food. But know this. It knows where you are storing it. Those that think they don't have never tried to catch a fox.
HooKooDooKu
09-08-2015, 10:42
Got to agree with those saying you are fooling yourself if you think you can eliminate food smells.
From what I understand, you can take a bag of potato chips (like what you get in a vending machine), place the unopened bag in a quart size zip-lock bag, then place that inside a gallon zip-lock, then place that inside a water proof ditty bag, an a bear can still smell the chips.
Now that's not to say it is a good plan to minimize food smells on your gear and clothing so that the bear will hopefully be more attracted to food properly stored rather than your tent/pack.
So it is reasonable to do things like keep any food you want to carry in a pocket in a small zip-lock bag (the idea is to keep the food from getting on your cloths), and avoid storing any food directly in your pack that isn't inside a waterproof ditty bag (or bear canister), and cooking/eating away from your tent.
Your campsite will probably have food smells.
This brings up a good point. You should probably try to find "virgin" campsites to avoid the possibility of someone else's food/scents attracting animals.
maybe bear blood will do the trick. could possibly be a viable business venture
rocketsocks
09-10-2015, 01:27
I'm ursaphobic due to an encounter with a pair of persistent bears. Consequently, I want no trace of desirable-to-bear scent on/in my pack, which I store in my tent vestibule.
Yeah, I wouldn't worry about the fear of urinating to much...Rhypophobia is the one most folks get when it comes to bears.
I don't have much to add to your odor-free quest other than the link below to scent-proof bags I like , but I did want to acknowledge your fear. It's not fun to be that afraid of anything. I'm someone who sports some heavy scars from an accident with boiling soup as a child- needless to say to this day am petrified of getting burnt again and there are several heavy, but necessary to me things in my pack to prevent a burn accident at all costs. I do what I need to do to be out there and it sounds like you are too- kudos!
http://www.amazon.com/BaseCamp-F232320-Odor-Barrier-Bags-X-Large/dp/B00GHFSMES/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1446767674&sr=8-7&keywords=opsak
Most of my bear encounters had nothing to do with any scent. Most have been chance encounters on the trail and some were because I camped somewhere where they were use to finding food so they passed through on their nightly route. I've never had a bear in my camp when I wasn't in a high use spot and cooked dinner elsewhere and this includes many years in Yosemite.
I'm not saying reducing scents that may attract them is useless. But that other factors come into play that may be more important.
Most of my bear encounters had nothing to do with any scent. Most have been chance encounters on the trail and some were because I camped somewhere where they were use to finding food so they passed through on their nightly route. I've never had a bear in my camp when I wasn't in a high use spot and cooked dinner elsewhere and this includes many years in Yosemite.
I'm not saying reducing scents that may attract them is useless. But that other factors come into play that may be more important.
Agree, the whole scent thing doesn't make sense. All the time bears are surprised by people which wouldn't happen it they can smell you X miles away. Whenever bears have come into my camp (always a heavily used camp) they always head straight for the usual spots food is hanging without sniffing around. Makes sense to reduce food scents, but being scent free isn't realistic. There's perfection, and there's reality.