Bear Bags?
do you hang Bear Bags on the LT? I don't recall hanging any on the AT/LT part, what about in the northern section?
It doesn't hurt to hang. Bears are not a big problem on the LT, but that doesn't mean there aren't occasional problem bears. Seth Warner shelter had one for a few years. Good care of food by hanging helps to prevent problem bears in the first place.
Bears are few and far between along the trail. Most still hang, but due to other critters. Racoons, porkies and mice are pretty bad around some of the more popular shelters.
I use an empty peanut butter pretzel container from costco in a stuff sack. Keeps the food dry and the mice can't get to it.
Same here... and your crackers don't get crushed.Originally Posted by NorthCountryWoods
great idea, an east coast "bear canister" lol.
Thanks
13 Liter Sea to Summit roll down stuff sack, throw over a branch, PCT method...no worries
I was just going to hide my food in your tent, Stranger
I'll eat all your Snickers before the Bears and Porcs come!
Those crazy nocturnal flying squirrels would shred that thing in seconds.
Haven't seen any this far north, but they were north of Greylock about a decade ago and wreaked havoc on my stuff sacks.
That's very interesting. I had no idea flying squirrels were as far north as Greylock. The only one I've ever seen was in a shelter south of Duncannon last fall. I guess food isn't safe anywhere these days.
As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11
I would definitely recommend hanging a bear bag. I'd rather spend the time to hang the food every night than risk waking up to a surprise bear in the shelter. Also, the mice and chipmunks in some of the shelters are acrobats and are quite adept at getting past the "mouse trapezes", another good reason to hang your food. Tillotson camp in particular seemed to have some clever mice.
That's very interesting. I had no idea flying squirrels were as far north as Greylock. The only one I've ever seen was in a shelter south of Duncannon last fall. I guess food isn't safe anywhere these days.
Oh yeah, they are up here. We have a bunch of them plaguing the roof area of our hunting camp.
on my thru hike I read in a shelter journal about a "super mouse" that could get into your food bag despite hanging it up..after an all night stake out ,we caught him red handed, it was a flying squirrel. He'd launch from the back of the shelter right onto the food bag. It was pretty cool, I'd not seen one in the wild before or since.
I've hiked for 500 miles on the LT over the last two summers. I've seen exactly two signs of bears. There was a pile of sh%t going up Mt Horrid and another on Journey's End Road. That's it. There ain't no bears.
Seth Warner has a bear box because they had a problem bear a few years back. Other than that, never saw or heard of bear issues. I just hang my food from the mouse hangers and sleep soundly!
I always hang my food bag. I use a Ursack Minor and love it. I made a video racoon vs Ursack Minor.I dont know the REG's where your hiking at, but i use this on my "AT" and River. Hope this helps.HS
http://www.youtube.com/user/hikingshoes
You gotta check out the regulations before hanging a bear bag out in the open. There are some regulations http://www.ehow.com/how_5664627_sell-bear-skin-rug.html
Ive hiked the entire LT and didnt see one bear. Did encounter Moose but I dont think they like Snickers! Kept my food in Nysil bag and just hung it in the shelter. I did hang the bag in a tree if I was in my tent away from the shelter and other people.....just as a safty measure.
My favorite trail! and enjoyed the solitude of not seeing anyone for 2 entire days near the Canadian Border.
I end to ended last year and saw tons of moose poop but no moose or bear. I still hang bags though - PCT style - just in case - usually what gets you is the regular old field mice
I can tell you there are at least 2 boars and 4 sows with at least 2 cubs each around the trail between Hogback Rd and Codding Hollow in Waterville. Stumbled on a sow with cubs on Sunday evening not 100 yards from the trail. My neighbor took a big boar from the Devils gulch area during last falls bear season.
Don't think there are enough hikers in the north for the bears to associate them with food. That could change anytime tho. A lady in Cabot was feeding bears in her backyard and was injured by a mama with cubs a couple weeks back.
Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there. Be smart out there.
If you hike in bear territory for very long, you can see very clearly where they are. If you hike for 500 mi and you don't see a single overturned stone, no marks on trees, no fur on trees, and only two piles of sh%t, it's pretty obvious that there ain't no bears.
Rub your belly with honey, and go to sleep soundly in your tent.
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