PDA

View Full Version : sleep with food?



justwalkin
02-29-2012, 14:38
I've heard that some people on the trail sleep with their food in their tent. Why? Fear of theft? No fear of bears? I would like to hear some pros and cons. Thanks.

Lone Wolf
02-29-2012, 14:40
no fear of bears and i like to snack. never had mice or any other critter chew thru the tent

Dobie Swift
02-29-2012, 14:40
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?60675-Foodbag-NINJA-d-at-Walnut-Mtn-Shelter-AKA-No-good-deed-goes-unpunished

jesse
02-29-2012, 14:45
I have a hole in a mesh pocket where a mouse chewed thru to get a snickers bar that was left in there inadvertently. If food is left open it will attract ants. More concerned with little critters than I am about bears.

ChinMusic
02-29-2012, 14:45
I sleep with my food most of the time on the AT. I am convinced that my food is more of a risk of being stolen from hanging than just about anything else. IMO, poor hanging (even some cables) kills bears, sleeping with my food does not. There are enough AT veterans that have slept with their food for years and years, without incident, that I am convinced.

The type of bears on the AT seem to respect possession. As long as you are in possession they will leave you alone. You separate yourself from your food and it is fair game.

That said, there will be the rogue bear that will come into a tent. Someone will then find an old candy wrapper in the tent and blame the event on that. I just disagree.

surfnturk
02-29-2012, 14:55
This has been confusing for me. I did my first AT hike for 6 days just before thanksgiving. I went from springer to gooch and back. I probably met 8-9 thru hikers and not one of them hung their food. In fact the first guy was at Stover and he said he wouldnt consider it. So I never did. I did keep mine in a Hunter Specialties odor proof bag (used for hunting).
The next time I go I'm going to vacuum seal each individual meal or snack and keep those in in an Opsak then put the Opsack in my Hunter Specialties bag.
If that doesnt work then the bear can have it.

The Cleaner
02-29-2012, 14:55
I sleep with my food most of the time on the AT. I am convinced that my food is more of a risk of being stolen from hanging than just about anything else. IMO, poor hanging (even some cables) kills bears, sleeping with my food does not. There are enough AT veterans that have slept with their food for years and years, without incident, that I am convinced.

The type of bears on the AT seem to respect possession. As long as you are in possession they will leave you alone. You separate yourself from your food and it is fair game.

That said, there will be the rogue bear that will come into a tent. Someone will then find an old candy wrapper in the tent and blame the event on that. I just disagree. Well said...+1....

The Cleaner
02-29-2012, 15:02
A few years ago I met a group of about 12 hikers at Spring Mtn. shelter.They put about 6 backpacks on 1 bear cable.Great way to tear-up the cables.Then I met 2 day hikers and one pointed to the bear cables and said "That's where you put your trash".....IMO some people should find another hobby....

get wayaway
02-29-2012, 15:08
I've been wondering about how to handle the issue of bears from Jarrod to Blood Mountain and the bear canister requirement. If you have the bear canister, do you think it would be safe to sleep with food in a tent in that area? Also, what about backpack in the tent?

hikerboy57
02-29-2012, 15:12
i sleep with my food, unless theres a bearbox at the site.mice are much more likely to try to get into your tent than bears.

ChinMusic
02-29-2012, 15:18
I've been wondering about how to handle the issue of bears from Jarrod to Blood Mountain and the bear canister requirement. If you have the bear canister, do you think it would be safe to sleep with food in a tent in that area? Also, what about backpack in the tent?
If I had a bear canister why would I WANT it in my tent? I'd move it away just like I do out west and make more room in my tent. The can answers the "possession" question.

As far as a backpack in my tent.......ALWAYS.

Tenderheart
02-29-2012, 15:21
from Jarrod to Blood Mountain and the bear canister requirement.

Is a bear cannister required in this area now?

surfnturk
02-29-2012, 15:22
Im considering sprinkling cayenne pepper around perimeter of tent to repel mice. Any thoughts on that?

Spokes
02-29-2012, 15:22
A buddy of mine who thru'd years ago (Scar Tissue) has a nice quarter size hole in the top of his tent where a mouse chewed through trying to get to an empty Snicker Bar wrapper he left in the top fabric shelf one evening.

ChinMusic
02-29-2012, 15:23
A buddy of mine who thru'd years ago (Scar Tissue) has a nice quarter size hole in the top of his tent where a mouse chewed through trying to get to an empty Snicker Bar wrapper he left in the top fabric shelf one evening.

Mice have no respect at all for possession.......

Spokes
02-29-2012, 15:23
Im considering sprinkling cayenne pepper around perimeter of tent to repel mice. Any thoughts on that?


You're gonna look funny carrying around those bulk size cayanne pepper jars from Costco down the trail.....

hikerboy57
02-29-2012, 15:26
Im considering sprinkling cayenne pepper around perimeter of tent to repel mice. Any thoughts on that?

need to be wary of schezuan mice, they love the spicy stuff

The Cleaner
02-29-2012, 15:39
Im considering sprinkling cayenne pepper around perimeter of tent to repel mice. Any thoughts on that? Are you taking at least a gallon for a long hike?

Rocket Jones
02-29-2012, 15:53
Now y'all are being plain silly. Obviously, LNT means you scoop up the pepper each morning and recycle it for the next camp.

Spokes
02-29-2012, 15:57
Now y'all are being plain silly. Obviously, LNT means you scoop up the pepper each morning and recycle it for the next camp.

Or carry it to the Partnership Shelter and share it with others when the pizza arrives.

moocow
02-29-2012, 16:01
i'd rather place my food far away from my tent. i've brought my food in my tent before and the mice never actually chewed their way in. but the sound of mice scurring all about just outside my tent all night keeps me paranoid enough to prevent me from staying asleep. i've had less trouble sleeping with mice in the shelters.

surfnturk
02-29-2012, 16:11
need to be wary of schezuan mice, they love the spicy stuff

lol, thats a good one

surfnturk
02-29-2012, 16:13
Now y'all are being plain silly. Obviously, LNT means you scoop up the pepper each morning and recycle it for the next camp.
My hikes are going to be 4-6 days so a small amount only. I''m not as weight conscious as most.

lkaluzi
02-29-2012, 17:08
So what are peoples opinions on keeping food in your hammock? The mice can't get to you there, so would you still think its safe regarding bears?

Spokes
02-29-2012, 17:11
So what are peoples opinions on keeping food in your hammock? The mice can't get to you there, so would you still think its safe regarding bears?

Really? ........

hikerboy57
02-29-2012, 17:36
Really? ........
i dont think hes met maine mice, whos acrobatics ive marvelled at, flying off shelter rafters onto hanging food bags..

SouthMark
02-29-2012, 17:42
So what are peoples opinions on keeping food in your hammock? The mice can't get to you there, so would you still think its safe regarding bears?

I hang mine sometimes on my suspension line at the foot end of my hammock. I guess that means I hang my food and sleep with it. Sometimes I put it in a plastic trash bag on the ground under my hammock. I have never had it bothered by mice or bears.

Moose2001
02-29-2012, 17:51
I hang mine sometimes on my suspension line at the foot end of my hammock. I guess that means I hang my food and sleep with it. Sometimes I put it in a plastic trash bag on the ground under my hammock. I have never had it bothered by mice or bears.

Really! Just a matter of time then. Somewhere out there, there's a fat racoon just waiting for you!

Spokes
02-29-2012, 17:53
i dont think hes met maine mice, whos acrobatics ive marvelled at, flying off shelter rafters onto hanging food bags..

It's like waching a cirque du soleil show!

SCRUB HIKER
02-29-2012, 18:07
I put my food in an Ursack Minor, which is rodent-proof (both according to the manufacturer and my experience), then put it in the vestibule of my tent. That way, the mice can try all they want to chew through the food bag, but at least they don't have to chew through my tent to get there. It's close enough that I can snack or do breakfast in bed. Every time that megafauna have made it into my camping area, I've been woken up and been able to get up and shine a light and yell and scare them off.

I use bear/cables/boxes/poles when they're available.

I generally don't publicize the fact that I'm bringing my food to my tent if there are other people around that I feel will get really freaked out by the idea of someone not bear-bagging. But the way I see it, me keeping my food on the ground does not increase or decrease the likelihood of a bear visiting--if a bear is going to stop by, it'll do so regardless of whether the food is on the ground or in a tree. But getting into an argument over that is pointless and will likely just make everyone mad at each other.

BobTheBuilder
02-29-2012, 18:21
I wouldn't care one way or the other if somebody slept with their food in their tent, but I rarely do it myself. I have seen people really struggle with getting a line over a tree branch, but I have never had a problem, so I usually hang my whole pack, with my food bag inside. On the theory that it has always worked and causes me no problems, I'll probably keep doing the same thing.

SouthMark
02-29-2012, 18:30
Really! Just a matter of time then. Somewhere out there, there's a fat racoon just waiting for you!


No problem. I grew up in the country and have raised a couple of raccoons along with a few other species.