yeah. unlikelyOriginally Posted by Petr
Just mental scars too....
Close encounter.
Yea thats why I kept hiking and made sure I stayed out for a night so i could just get over it. Its done, Im over it.
Its all been deleted
Some black bears can get more aggressive if they are really hungry and summer is coming to a close.
There have been a few isolated cases of people being dragged out of their tents near my folks house in Utah. It may be rare, but it does happen.
I'd guess it's more dangerous to drive a car to the trailhead than to sleep with your food.
"If we had to pay to walk... we'd all be crazy about it."
--Edward Payson Weston
I hear bear populations are increasing in the southeast. How many is too many for the support habitat area? Hunting seasons and tags may need increasing. I think bear season is only 2 weeks in South Carolina.
eh. glad your alright chaco. hunting season is just around the corner.
hey hey, my my
Bear in my tent..............
Lets see, bear in my tent
Taurus 44 Tracker in my tent
I will make the bear leave
Though he may not go far
Won't go without my Therm-A-Rest
In 2004 to 2006, there were between 21 and 45 home break ins by bears in the Catskills. When my parents lived in the N. Catskills, there were bear on our property but we never even saw one.
http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=12314
Scroll down to see the article.
Why not catch and relocate the people who sleep with food in their tents? Cut the bears some slack and tranquilize and radio tag the food-in-tent crowd.
I just got thru reading a good book by Nick Jans called THE GRIZZLY MAZE and here's some bear facts:
** Grizzlies are by far more dangerous than black bears.
** Grizzlies zealously defend a carcass or their food, black bears do not.
** "If a black bear commits to an all-out attack, it probably means to eat you, while a grizzly generally is going to slap you around and then retreat". NICK JANS
** Predatory black bear attacks tend to occur in broad daylight and seldom in a camp situation while grizzly predation usually happens at night and in camp.
** "Female black bears with cubs aren't likely to attack and maul in defense of their offspring". NICK JANS. Grizzlies are a direct opposite.
NICK JANS Recommendations
** Make noise while moving.
** Hike in groups.
** Never keep food in your tent. "It's crazy", Jans says.
What about the human overpopulation in the southeast? How many is too many for the support-habitat area?
In the Catskills of NY, the bear population has increased since the 70's from a couple hundred to a couple thousand. In the 60s, there were basically no bear in Connecticut or Massachusetts (there may have been a very small remnant population in W. MA). Now they are common in NW CT and W. and Central Mass. Around here, bear are reappearing in their historic range in fairly densely populated suburban and urban areas.
I like the idea, but the bigger problem is people living (in houses not tents) in bear territory not securing their garbage, or even feeding bears. In the northeast, I expect bear [or rather people] problems to be most severe in the densely populated areas south of the Catskills. There have been lots of problems there with bear getting into garbage (or more precisely, people being careless with their garbage).Tipi Walter said: Why not catch and relocate the people who sleep with food in their tents? Cut the bears some slack and tranquilize and radio tag the food-in-tent crowd.
Have you guys ever thought of taking firecrackers? The time I shot one near a bear, he made a new trail through the woods, fast. Jakebrake
Jakebrake
Chaco I'm very happy to hear the you are ok. You fell victim to being complacent. This is why every sport, every profession preaches safety. I applaud that you being an experienced hiker decided to post this incident. Hopefully others will learn from your experience. Personally I did, I just returned from a hiking trip in Quebec, they have lots of Black Bears too. On a couple nights I only hung my food bag inside the shelter, just to lazy to hang it properly.
WalkingStick"75"
Hey Bill,
Have you seen any lately in your neck of the woods?
I hope you're getting some trail time.
Carl
No, Carl, I haven't been on a trail since a short 33 miler last November. Been looking after two old women. My mother and my wife.
Jakebrake
Once again Tipi is the voice of reason... Human selfishness, entitlement and arrogance is by far the most dangerous thing to humans and the planet we share... Why can't we relocate food bag sleepers to heavily populated habitat, oh wait, they're already on the AT...
Luckly most food bag sleepers don't venture far into truely remote wilderness to spread thier poor camping practices to the wildlife, leaving those area's safe for those of us who choose to venture away from the crowds...
For those who claim they are too lazy to hang a food bag, it takes less than a minute once you've found the right tree... How could a hiker be that lazy?
Lonewolf excluded, please hang your food for the sake of those who follow behind you... It's one of those things like packing out your trash, not only is it the right thing to do, it is being considerate of those who follow you and the critters that live there...
Yeah that part of the trail there is pretty nasty and it doesn't surprise me at all that a bear got bold enough to yogi some food. What a scary situation
I took my daughter up to SNP in July after my section and did we did the White Oak Canyon and Old Rag trails, we saw lots of bears and I had to chase some off one night at the foot of Rag. They were insistent on hanging around and didn't leave till I pegged one with a rock (accidentally). That morning while we were packing up I found a slimjim in her pack. She got an ear full and I gave myself and good mental slapping too for not checking. I saw more bears on that trip than in all my other trips combined. They were totally unconcerned with being around people.
it is strange that a man would put the pieces together as they please opposed to being content with where the pieces fall
Why is LW excluded?... his food sleeping skills don't apply?
Because unlike bears, LW is a slow learner and will never change....
Slow learner... or set in his ways w/ what works for him? hmmmm...
food in a tent... the sky is falling, the sky is falling
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