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View Full Version : Hanging up your pack at night



grizzly bear 336
03-07-2012, 10:18
I am thinking about doing an over nighter on theAT. Is it really neccasary to hang your backpack up in a tree away from critters?

Lone Wolf
03-07-2012, 10:19
no. not necessary. it goes in my tent with me

Spokes
03-07-2012, 10:21
In your tent or on a tree. I've done both.

Nutbrown
03-07-2012, 10:23
Don't have to, but the time I didn't, I had about 57 of those weird cricket hopper bugs in and all over my pack. Now I either hang it or put it in the trash bag I use for a pack liner. It may not fit all the way in the bag, but cinch it around the bottom and there will be a lot less creepy crawleys that get in.

RWheeler
03-07-2012, 10:25
Guys... look at the user name. Clearly bears have discovered how to use the Internet and this is a ploy for "ordering food for delivery".

But anyway, yeah, in tent works fine. If you're in a shelter, keep pockets zipped open, though, otherwise mice will chew through it.

swjohnsey
03-07-2012, 10:29
Mice are a real problem in shelters. If you sleep in a shelter hang your pack, preferably on something that has protection from acrobatic mice. I sleep with my pack/food in my tent most of time.

JAK
03-07-2012, 15:35
Guys... look at the user name. Clearly bears have discovered how to use the Internet and this is a ploy for "ordering food for delivery".
What concerns me even more is they appear to be organized.

Feral Bill
03-07-2012, 15:42
What concerns me even more is they appear to be organized.
BeaR Union InterNational

RWheeler
03-07-2012, 15:46
BeaR Union InterNational

Crap, they've unionized. Soon they'll picket bear canister manufacturers...

grizzly bear 336
03-07-2012, 16:25
Well since I use a hammock, I guess hanging my pack is necessary.

swjohnsey
03-07-2012, 18:32
Hang your food to draw the bears away from your hammock.

Montana AT05
03-07-2012, 18:42
I hammock on the AT as well. I hang my food bag from the hammock itself (usually on the foot side outside of the hammock) and I simply place my pack below the hammock, pack cover on. Had a few scares of spiders on my pack in the AM (I am scared to death of spiders) but all-in-all it has worked well.

My food is packed in odor proof alo-saks inside the usual sil-nylon bag as a half-arsed attempt to deter bears or the more likely invaders of mice and squirrels, aka tree-rats. I've actually kept the food bag in my pack as well at times (not saying that is smart but I can be pretty lazy).

Never had an issue in 1000's of miles.

QiWiz
03-08-2012, 17:55
If there are no smellables in the pack (and I suggest that's how you keep it at night), I always keep my pack with me in my shelter. Smellables go into bear/critter bag/ursack/cannister/box depending on location and risk.

Lugh
03-09-2012, 00:24
I don't mean to offend, but personally i think you guys are nuts for sleeping with your food. Just because dangerous Bear encounters happen very rarely does not mean that they are not extremely dangerous. Hang your food.

vamelungeon
03-09-2012, 00:31
If I wanted to attract bears, I'd get some rope and hang some food up high in the trees so the odor would spread farther, so why advocate it? Besides, if a bear has lost its fear of humans enough to come inside your tent and take it, why wouldn't it try to take it off your back while you are hiking? Nobody has ever been able to explain that to me. And define "food". I'm sure that includes fresh meat, so unless you are a hiking robot, you ARE food.

BlakeGrice
03-09-2012, 00:34
Hang food, sleep with pack. Last time out I slept with my pack and food in my tent. No bears, but I could hear what sounded like mice scratching on the walls of my tent.

Pony
03-09-2012, 00:39
I almost never hang my food. In fact anybody I've ever met that has had their food taken by a bear had it taken out of a tree. I've only ever met one person that had a bear come in the tent, and their food was in a tree. Besides on the AT anywhere that I've thought about hanging food they already have poles, cables, or boxes at or near shelters and campsites.

Pony
03-09-2012, 00:41
Oh yeah, I keep my pack pretty much anywhere as long as there's no food in it and all the zippers are unzipped. And it's out of the rain.

Lugh
03-09-2012, 01:28
If I wanted to attract bears, I'd get some rope and hang some food up high in the trees so the odor would spread farther, so why advocate it? Besides, if a bear has lost its fear of humans enough to come inside your tent and take it, why wouldn't it try to take it off your back while you are hiking? Nobody has ever been able to explain that to me. And define "food". I'm sure that includes fresh meat, so unless you are a hiking robot, you ARE food.

I actually spoke with my uncle the other day on the topic of Bears. He was in the Army and one of the things he did was basically ridge running with some other guys, they were there to provide assistance to hikers or whoever was out in that section they were in. They had to respond to a black bear attack on a 8 year old kid. He had a candy bar in his pocket and the bear ran straight out of the woods and ended up breaking the kids legs before they could get it away. So while its not the norm by any means. Its an example that it does happen.

The statistics speak for themselves. The bears are not a big issue..they do seem to have become used to people just due to the numbers. I just don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Because some people choose to feed them, they've realized that people food > than forest food. Those things have a nose like you can't believe..unless you have smell proof containers, they are going to smell it no matter what. If they decide to come for it, i'm just saying personally i'd rather have them barking up a tree than barking in my tent. I am a sound sleeper. lol

Montana AT05
03-09-2012, 03:48
I actually spoke with my uncle the other day on the topic of Bears. He was in the Army and one of the things he did was basically ridge running with some other guys, they were there to provide assistance to hikers or whoever was out in that section they were in. They had to respond to a black bear attack on a 8 year old kid. He had a candy bar in his pocket and the bear ran straight out of the woods and ended up breaking the kids legs before they could get it away. So while its not the norm by any means. Its an example that it does happen.

The statistics speak for themselves. The bears are not a big issue..they do seem to have become used to people just due to the numbers. I just don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Because some people choose to feed them, they've realized that people food > than forest food. Those things have a nose like you can't believe..unless you have smell proof containers, they are going to smell it no matter what. If they decide to come for it, i'm just saying personally i'd rather have them barking up a tree than barking in my tent. I am a sound sleeper. lol

I am not so sure that story you were told is real. Was the kid sleeping? The way you recounted it sounded like the attack happened when they were walking or hanging out.

It's much more likley that the bear attacked the smallest of the group (no different than a cougar's choice of prey) or the bear was sick and deranged (starving). Black bears rarely attack like that (if it was a Griz then there wouldn't be ridge runners and the boy would be dead).

I suspect you were told a tall-tale by well-meaning guys having fun.

In any case, it's my opinion that most bear bag hangs are placebos for the hanger. A bear can get at most any hang I've ever seen (or done myself). Bears go for food where they know they can find it, shelters, frequently used campsites, garbage cans, former deli's or bakeries in Detroit, place like that. Bears don't want to fight for their food anymore than you or I want to enter mortal combat on the way to the frig. Unless there is only one popsicle left on a 100 degree day.

GET OVER HERE!!! <scorpion claw and grappling hook throw>

Nutbrown
03-09-2012, 10:46
Well since I use a hammock, I guess hanging my pack is necessary.

I clip a mini biner to pack handle and hang it from the RL.

dab48eu
03-09-2012, 11:17
Last year while hiking a section in the Shenandoah National Park, a large group of hikers stop to overnight at Bearfence Mtn Hut; several were tenting. At about 5pm a bear came into the camp and took one hikers food bag, he hung it on a low limb while setting up his tent. He chased the bear and was able to retrieve about half of his food. He and his friend came down to the shelter and we talked about the bear encounter, when they returned to their tent sites the bear had destroyed their tents-broken poles and torn tent flies. The bear circle our shelter the reminder of the night and was still present the following morning. I do not believe he was a threat to us but was certainly looking for another opportunity to run in and grab our food. He destroyed another tent the following night.

lemon b
03-09-2012, 14:02
Depends on the weather.

TOMP
03-09-2012, 15:27
I once saw a guy hang his food about 2 feet above his tent, I am not sure what he thought he was accomplishing. Maybe it was an elaborate bear trap. A few people walked by and swatted at it pretending to be bears until he moved it.

If you hang your whole backpack you will probably get alot of morning dew on it, making for a wet morning pack. Mine always goes in my tent and my food always gets hung. If you have to hang your backpack it would be better to put it in a pack liner as a previous poster suggested.

FarmRookie 2015
03-09-2012, 17:10
Whatever you do, DO NOT hide your food in your underwear.

Lugh
03-09-2012, 18:32
I am not so sure that story you were told is real.

..so pretty much. If someone conflicts your point..just call them a liar?

Derek81pci
03-09-2012, 18:43
Not a liar per se... but that story does seem extremely far fetched. Never heard of a bear charging anyone that was not in between the mana and her cub. This story may be the inspiration for the new Yogi 3-D movie though~ Wonder how long it would take to teach a bear to pilot a 2 engine flyer?

Montana AT05
03-09-2012, 19:24
..so pretty much. If someone conflicts your point..just call them a liar?

Ummm....ya.....no.

What I meant to infer is that the people who told you that story are more likely pod-people from the 3rd planet from Altair who came to earth as an advance scouting team to determine the best way to steal the world's supply of Twinkies.

Do you think the recent news that Hostess (the divine makers of Twinkies, Holy Guardians of creme filling) was nearing bankruptcy was somehow unrelated to this diabolical 3rd planet plot?

:D

And no, I wasn't calling anyone a liar. Pod-people or not.

Malto
03-09-2012, 20:42
It depends on what you are protecting your food from. I do one of three things.
1) PCT bear hang in bear country.
2) Hang off bushes to offer some protection from small critters.
3) Use it as a pillow, below my bivy.

I would not store my food in either a tent or a pack. Its a good way to have small critters eat holes in your gear.

Sandy of PA
03-10-2012, 21:37
I met a thru-hiker in PA last summer who told me about a bear at bearfence shelter that had to be removed. She said they shouldn't have much trouble catching it, it came running when she opened a can of sardines!

cknight
03-12-2012, 21:05
Generally bears are not the problem, it depends on where you are. The parks will offer the most problems because the bears are not hunted and loose their fear on humans. The GSMP has a cable system to hang your pack and food. Mice will be a problem most places and can eat through a pack in minutes. If you do not hang your pack or put it in your tent, be sure to open every zipper, give them free access and you may wake up with a pack full of nuts.

Always hang your food, on a provided cable system, in a shelter or using proper methods in bear areas. They can destroy you pack in seconds. A few years back a bear became a problem at the Walnut Mtn Shelter near Hot Springs. It would come in the shelter in the day time with hikers in the shelter. One guy hid his food in the privy (what an idiot). The bear knocked the top of the privy off to get the food.

SouthMark
03-12-2012, 21:16
Well since I use a hammock, I guess hanging my pack is necessary.

I use a hammock and I hang my pack on the end of my hammock under the fly along with my food bag.