Storing food in your tent when you're sleeping?
I want to know if it is a myth or fact. Would a beer come in your tent for your food if you're in it sleeping? Is the best thing to always hang your food?
I always keep my food in my tent, but I don't leave it unattended. It's a possibility that a bear will come in your tent for the food, but it's very remote, very, very remote. Bears do know you're carrying food they don't bother you then. They know when you're cooking food they don't usually bother you. And they know when you're in your tent with your food and they usually don't bother you and if they do, poke them in the eye.
I don't try and talk anyone into keeping food in one's tent, all I'm saying is that it doesn't concern me in the least and more importantly, contrary to popular belief, all the bear problems down in Georgia now is not from people with food in their tents; the problems are from people hanging food.
Would it happen? Probably not. Could it happen? Yes.
Some people don't care if critters come sniffing. I'd rather not wonder what animal is poking around nearby while I sleep, so I store my food far enough away that I won't hear or see anything happening there while I sleep.
Would a beer come in your tent for your food if you're in it sleeping
If a beer comes into my tent, it's gonna get drank and that will be the end of that beer.
Let no one be deluded that a knowledge of the path can substitute for putting one foot in front of the other.
—M. C. Richards
What John Gault said in Post #2. I typically hang my food bag, however.
GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014
I hang, not just for bears... mice, racoons, and SKUNKS
Its not bears I am worried about, it is the little rodents chewing a hole in a tent to get to some food. Those guys have an amazing sense of smell and even the best wrapped up food they can get to sometimes.
Raccoon are really bad as well. I have seen them drag pants out of a tent that had some food in the pocket and tear them all up. Not fun to wake up in the morning and your pants be gone!
My food bag is part of my sleeping system (pillow).
I've never had a rodent or any other type animal chew a hole in my tent... yes I know it's a possibility, but it's also a possibility for them to get at it when hanging. I know at shelters it's near 100% chance they'll get your food if you don't hang it properly, but it's different in a tent (away from the rodent-infested shelters).
Although, I did one time (on a bike trip) have something start digging into my tent (seemed about the size of a raccon) I wacked it with my saw and it never came backI also one time had something eat my shoe laces in my vestibule, I now always bring my shoe in my tent also.
I don't worry about damage to my tent -- that's why I carry duct tape
Maybe we should submit this question to MythBusters?
"Fish Camp Woman.... Baby, I like the way you smell"
- Unknown Hinson
i've never hung my food while in my tent. i always sleep with it. never had a problem with bears or other crittersOriginally Posted by Credit Score
There were reports of several tents being mauled by a bear several weeks ago at the Jenkins Shelter in SW Virginia recently. No sign of the bear when I was there last week - thankfully.
If you happen to camp in a place where a bear has learned to score food, keeping it in your tent is not going to discourage him/her at all.
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unless theres a bear box handy, i sleep with my food, so far undisturbed.
It depends on where you are and how habituated the bears are. I've known PCT hikers who had bears steal the food from under their heads or feet, before canisters were required - but those bears were very used to people. In '92 a bear came up to us while we were cooking and tried to scare us away. Another bear got the food from a hiker who was cooking at Outerbridge Shelter in PA. A bear in NH circled our tent for an hour or so, and all we had with us was one candy bar. If you know that bears are an issue in an area, then sleeping with your food is not a good idea.
I think the bear problem for hanging food is because the food is there. If in you tent, the bears would be there.
I live in grizzly bear country, and grizzly bears can have an attitude.
I wouldn't think I having food or food odors in or around my campsite. I do my food preparation away from the campsite. If I get food odors on my clothing, that clothing isn't in my campsite either. If I only have one set of clothing, I hike out and get to a laundromat. However, I usually have my first layer for sleeping.
I avoid food problems by using one OPSak for food and one OPSak for garbage.
I hang the OPSaks.
That depends on if it's a Black Beer or a Grizzly Beer
BlackBeer.JPG GrizzlyBeer.JPG
I use OPsak as well (garbage in it) and tie my food bag to a tree like 25 feet away. I used to be scared of bears but now Im realizing they are a myth here in new england..
On hanging food. I'll hang food if there is a rack but not if I have to throw it over a tree. Black bears can climb trees for one, not grizzlies though.Also every rodent out there can climb any kind of rope you string up even if it is 20 feet off the ground. I always have a dog with me though so that probably helps because bears are smart enough to eat the easiest food possible which doesn't include a man and his doberman. Oh yea, I also hammock and even in the Adirondacks I have never been bothered by bears where they now require bear cans which until last year I never owned while hiking the high peaks.
Now a more serious follow-up. I know the Hang vs Don't Hang issues comes up frequently. I was wondering (for those in the Don't Hang camp), if it makes a difference if you are using an enclosed tent vs an open tarp? (with either the bears or the microbears)
... and because, at the end of a long day, trying to get your line over a limb provides MUCH entertainment!
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