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squirrel bait
08-09-2003, 10:19
I have read and listened to alot of posts on hanging your food bags. Some seem to say just in the Smokies and Shenandoah parks others all the time. What is the rule of thumb or is each night or area different? Do you make exceptions and what would those be?

Kerosene
08-09-2003, 10:46
I always hang in bear country, which covers a lot more of the Trail than it used to, although the Smokies and Shenendoah are the worst. I always hang when I'm tenting or hammocking. In a shelter outside of a known bear area I'll hang my food bag under the "mouse proof" string and tuna can (of course, I use an Ursack food back which makes it tough for those little guys to gnaw through).

fwassner
08-09-2003, 15:06
I've been using a canister on shorter hikes. It's heavy and bulky as others have pointed out (see posts in the hygiene and safety section), but a whole lot more convenient and safer than hanging. Never done a thru-hike or anything really long using it though. I am planning to use it on the thru in March 04.

squirrel bait
08-09-2003, 16:36
Mouse proof string? Ya mean tuna can mouse bumper has to be used on your food bag too? Do they scurry down the rope from the branches? Do they construct little ladders and climb up?

poison_ivy
08-09-2003, 16:56
I always hang my food when sleeping in my tent. If I'm in a shelter, I don't bother since nobody else seems to worry about it. When I'm tenting, I figure it's better to be safe than sorry.

-- Ivy

squirrel bait
08-09-2003, 17:38
Thanks everyone and all, I'm listening. Can ya all bear another stupid food question, please. If it's raining in the morning and I plan hiking that day can I cook in front of my tent? Is it always a no no because of the smell? I mean if your leaving that spot that day does it permeate, (sp), ya know stink it up, so that it attracts critters that nite?

illininagel
08-09-2003, 17:42
Just my opinion, but you are never really going to be able to completely rid yourself of the smell of food when you are cooking. I simply wouldn't worry about odors sticking to your tent or your clothes on a thru-hike.

Of course, I wouldn't ever leave food, or other items with an odor (like toothpaste) in the tent. It's best to hang food when tenting. But, I won't be able to carry enough clothing to be able to switch into non-ccoking clothes. It's not like I plan on cooking bacon out there...

bearbag hanger
08-09-2003, 18:01
In response to your 2nd question, bears aren't the only thing to worry about. Cooking close enough to your tent so you don't get wet can expose your tent and yourself to a fire and pretty much ruin your whole day.

squirrel bait
08-09-2003, 18:11
Bingo. No burning down tent. Use tarp to cook under some where else. And that's what Carnation IB is for. Thanks ya all. Good luck on your hikes.

smokymtnsteve
08-09-2003, 21:07
hanging your food bag from bears is the least of the problems you are much more likely to be "attacked" by a racoon or a possum..... once when I was camping on cumberland Island the racoons were everywhere and much braver than the shy black black bears ......and they are a lot smarter..

even chipmunks and boomer squirrels will go after food sacks ...some of the stories about bears geting food off out of hanging food bags are probably caused by raccons and possums.
these animals have beens known to 'work " together to get food .

there is even aN OLE MTN song about the racoonand possum working together even in thier natural world..

RACCON UP IN THE PERSIMMON TREE
POSSUM ON THE GROUND
POSSUM SAY TO THE RACOON
NOW SHAKE THOSE SIMMONS DOWN

so one could surmise that as racoon and poosum have been exposed to hikers and bear bags hanging the ole song could be changed to reflect the new food source

RACOON UP ON A TREE LIMB
BEAR BAG HANGING DOWN
POSSUM SAY TO THE RACOON
NOW SHAKE THAT BEAR BAG DOWN!


as more hikers use and area and the same tree limbs are used ...studies will show that the same limbs are used by hikers at heavliy used sites and shelters so that the animals are weel aware of which tree limbs to go to as there is a food bag hanging there every night....hikers use the closest most convieniet limb to hang the bag the same limb get used over and over and over and with the bear cables at shelters the food is ALWAYS in the same palce and the critters KNOW where it is ....

so if one choses to be real safe with there food they would ahng it some distance from where food bags are routinely hang ,,, this would mean walking a finding a limb that is not routinely used to hang food ...the critters will spend thier time "raiding" the spots where they ALWAYS find food...


RACCON AND A POSSUM
UP INA HOLLOW LOG
RACCON SAY TO THE POSSUM
BEWARE THE BARKING DOG..

perhaps having a dog with you to bark when a critter comes up would be benefical....but that issue is another can of worms

RACCCON AND POSSUM
STROLLING ACROSS THE PRARRIE
RACCON SAYS TO THE POSSUM
NOW DO YOU WANT TO MARRY

RACCON GOT A BUSHY TAIL
POSSUM TAIL IS BARE
RABBIT AIN'T GOT NO TAIL AT ALL
JUST A LITTLE BITTY BUNCH OF HAIR

Lugnut
08-10-2003, 00:20
I only hang my food when I think I might want breakfast the next morning.
Nice song Steve. To the tune of.... ? :)

illininagel
08-10-2003, 09:32
I only hang my food when I want to see the light of day the next morning.

gravityman
08-11-2003, 10:48
I fell asleep with my gorp on my chest after a long day of sea kayaking thru a pretty good storm. The racoon actually came up and took it off my chest! Scared the you-know-what out of me!

That was just the beginning. The rest of the night they all fought over it. I finally got so sick of listening to them that I got up and chased them down, and stole it back!

Also got bit in the armbit by a tick! There are a lot of ticks on that island...

Gravity Man

smokymtnsteve
08-11-2003, 10:56
and don't forget the gators...and snakes..and sand fleas,,,and LOTS of bugs....and the horrible sulfur hole water...

course theres some good eatin to be had with the blue crab and shrimp!........the weather is warm so you have a light enough pack so I always add my cast net to my gear....

Lone Wolf
08-11-2003, 21:50
I never hang food. Always keep it in my tent.

Youngblood
08-12-2003, 10:17
I look at hanging a food bag when backpacking pretty much the same way I look at using seat beats when riding in a car. I recommend both but I can't argue when someones says they never do and haven't had a problem, they are just stating a fact. I still recommend hanging a food bag when backpacking because I like my odds of not having a problem a whole lot better when I do. Also, it is best done correctly because if you don't you may be just giving your food away without even making the critters work for/earn it.

Youngblood

fwassner
08-12-2003, 18:24
I think we all owe it to the others using the shelter/site to secure our food properly. Failure to do so could attract a bear, or other animals which could cause a problem for all at the site!

Chappy
08-12-2003, 22:33
What is a simple method for hanging food?

illininagel
08-12-2003, 22:43
I guess hanging food is supposed to be simple. But, it always takes me quite a while to find a suitable branch. When I backpack with my brother, we split up the chores. He always gets to hang the food.

Kerosene
08-12-2003, 23:03
I also seem to have problems finding just the right branch to hang my food from that is high enough but not too high, and sturdy enough 10 feet out from the trunk to keep a bear from snatching it. When that happens, sometimes it's just faster to suspend the food bag between two trees. To do so, I take enough rope (40-50 feet) and select two trees with branches about 10 feet off the ground and about 20 feet apart. I put a rock in a small stuff sack and tie one end of the rope around the stuff sack. I tie the other end to the first tree using a clove hitch, then throw the rock sack over the first branch. I then string the rope through the string of my food bag (I use an Ursack), cinch down the toggle, then throw the rock sack over the second branch. Finally, I pull up the food bag to suspend it well off the ground and tie the remaining rope to a third tree, again using a clove hitch. Actually, the final thing I do is set up a pointer from my campsite to where I hung the bag so I can find it in the morning!

If the bear finds the rope and manages to gnaw through it, then I figure he deserves the food.

Youngblood
08-13-2003, 08:30
Originally posted by Kerosene
If the bear finds the rope and manages to gnaw through it, then I figure he deserves the food.

The thing that I feel most people miss when they hang their food bag is to make the tie-off rope hard to find. I like to tie it to a different tree from where the food bag is and I tie it up high, so that it is at least head high. I also place the remaining portion of the rope as much out of the way as possible. I have seen the rope tied so low that it would probably trip any person/critter that walked by the tree that the food bag is in. Most people know to hang the food bag high and out of easy reach from the tree/branch, but some don't take the same attitude with the tie-off rope.

Youngblood

Kerosene
08-13-2003, 08:38
Good point, Youngblood. I tie off to a third tree as high as I can easily reach so I don't clothesline myself when I return.

Repeat
08-13-2003, 09:15
Another "trick" is to avoid tying off to a tree is to counterbalance two bags. Tie off one bag, raise it very high, then tie a second bag, of aprox. equal weight to the other end of the line. Then push the lower bag up with a walking stick or limb, till the 2 bags are of equal height. In the morning use the stick or limb to "snare one of the bags and pull it down. This is the trick "The Bear Brigade" used to defeat the Siler Bald Bear. This bear had learned to go around the trees looking for "tie-off" ropes. The bear would then "break" the rope. :-?

jojo0425
09-04-2003, 09:54
As stated earlier, bears are the least of your worries. Even when hanging food bags, you still are subject to visits from mice, squirrels and other little critters that can climb down rope. I like to use a thin, smooth rope in hopes the critters will slip without good footing.

One thing I don't do (though the books say to) is hang my food bag 50 feet away. Usually hang it right in camp.

qsilver
10-12-2003, 03:15
It seems to me that a bear bag isn't as much to protect your food as much as it is to lead any critters away from you.... I am a light enough sleeper without mini-bears(read chipmunks) and racoons sneaking up on my shelter. I hang that sucker every night with SGT Rock's stakebag (http://hikinghq.net/gear/rock_bag.html )

Michael
10-12-2003, 10:37
Which is more dangerous?.......to keep my food bag in my tent w/5 layers of plastic between it and the bears nose, or, hang my food, get in my tent, and go to sleep wearing a t-shirt with a drop of spilled ramen juice on it?

smokymtnsteve
10-12-2003, 10:44
to keep my food bag in my tent w/5 layers of plastic between it and the bears nose,

smokymtnsteve
10-12-2003, 10:45
yuck ramen juice...

peter_pan
12-06-2003, 10:55
hang properly in an inconvient location every nite sleep tite and always eat well the next day. the simple pleasure of great habits.

______________
ounces to grams

mdionne
12-06-2003, 18:46
you only need to hang your food bag in the smokies, shenendoah and the DWG. number of bears i saw in each place were 1, 2, and 4 respectively.

Footslogger
12-06-2003, 19:48
I generally did hang my food bag. At first I used the bear cables but after a while I used the lines hanging down from the shelter rafters. Never really worried about bears but the mice and chipmonks WILL get into your food if it's convenient for them.

DebW
12-06-2003, 19:55
you only need to hang your food bag in the smokies, shenendoah and the DWG. number of bears i saw in each place were 1, 2, and 4 respectively.

There was a bear incident on the AT this year in Mass. A guy (not a thru-hiker) had his food in his tent and a bear came to get it. The bear was persistent and the guy spent 1/2 the night defending his food.
I believe the bear put a hole or 2 in the tent as well. A few lazy people can generate more than a few problem bears. It pays to hang it every time

RagingHampster
12-06-2003, 19:59
Wow problems in Mass now huh?

I know we have a bunch of black bears, but never heard much about them being aggressive. I guess I better start hanging out my snickers instead of sleeping with them! :-?

Peaks
12-07-2003, 10:15
Wow problems in Mass now huh?

I know we have a bunch of black bears, but never heard much about them being aggressive. I guess I better start hanging out my snickers instead of sleeping with them! :-?


Hampster, I think that the potential exists in almost every state that the AT goes through. We know there are bears in almost every state, so all it takes is someone to be careless, and the problems start.

Shadowman
12-08-2003, 15:22
I always used the shelter hangers to cut down on mouse and raccoon activity. In the entire trail I did little for bears. I used the bear boxes and bear poles when available and usuable. Even in the Smokies I once used my food bag for a pillow. I think they replaced the first foul dark shelter (as you head north) that I was at but it was full and I tented as did about 20 other people. There were no bear poles or branchs suitable. I couldn't see any respectable bear wading through all those people to get to my particular bag of food. I do make sure I carry the nylon cord for those rare instances I might use it for bear bags or clothesline, or gear repair.