WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21

Thread: Bears...

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-20-2012
    Location
    United States
    Age
    32
    Posts
    5

    Default Bears...

    Ok might seem like a stupid question, I know there are a lot of bears on the trail, my only question is: are there any special precautions I would have to take for a thru hike? Special containers, etc. Or am I just being overly paranoid?

  2. #2

    Join Date
    07-18-2010
    Location
    island park,ny
    Age
    66
    Posts
    11,909
    Images
    218

    Default

    yes and yes.click on the aricles on the home page under wildlife, its a topic thats been discussed many times here, so you you'll get some lengthy debates. in general, black bears are not dangerous, although they can be unpredictable. some advocate hanging their food, others like myself sleep with their food. you really dont have much to worry about. google bear attacks on the appalachian trail and you wont see too many results.
    wear a hat.

  3. #3
    AT NOBO2010 / SOBO2011 Maddog's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-24-2008
    Location
    Warner Robins, Georgia
    Posts
    762
    Images
    8

    Default

    I've never seen a bear or a snake while hiking on the AT...just sayin'! Maddog
    "You do more hiking with your head than your feet!" Emma "Grandma" Gatewood...HYOY!!!
    http://www.hammockforums.net/?

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hikerboy57:1307725
    yes and yes.click on the aricles on the home page under wildlife, its a topic thats been discussed many times here, so you you'll get some lengthy debates. in general, black bears are not dangerous, although they can be unpredictable. some advocate hanging their food, others like myself sleep with their food. you really dont have much to worry about. google bear attacks on the appalachian trail and you wont see too many results.
    wear a hat.
    Are bears scared or amused by hats? I think amused. Maybe scared if you have a moose antler hat?

  5. #5

    Join Date
    07-18-2010
    Location
    island park,ny
    Age
    66
    Posts
    11,909
    Images
    218

    Default

    That's the 1 the moose antler hat! Work with snakes too!

  6. #6
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-30-2007
    Location
    Erwin, TN
    Age
    62
    Posts
    8,492

    Default

    You are being paranoid, but not overly paranoid.

    In about 3000 miles of AT hiking I've seen the butts of 2 bears as they ran as fast as they could the other way. Of course others have seen more and had more intimate encounters but you'll have to look really, really hard to find incidence of bear attacks on the AT.

    If you want something to worry about - think deer ticks.

    (now waiting on WM.... )
    Last edited by 10-K; 07-05-2012 at 12:38.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-17-2007
    Location
    Michigan
    Age
    64
    Posts
    5,126

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gnpwdrtreason View Post
    Ok might seem like a stupid question, I know there are a lot of bears on the trail, my only question is: are there any special precautions I would have to take for a thru hike? Special containers, etc. Or am I just being overly paranoid?
    +1 On Hikerboy's reply. While there have been many discussions of bears, there are few actual cases of problems. Nearly all of the "problems" are not with bears, per se, but with the humans, such as camping around lots of food waste or not hanging food adequately. If you choose to hang your food, be sure to read up on the best techniques (see PCT method). If you choose to sleep with food, keep your campsite as odor-free as possible (one of the two definitions of stealth camping).

    So the answer to your questions "are there any special precautions I would have to take..." is yes - you should learn as much as possible since there are a lot more "problem humans" than there are "problem bears".

    Here are some links on Bear/Human interaction based on many years of field research:

    http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...ear-bears.html
    http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...-a-humans.html (scroll down to view all 4 pages of articles in this section).

    Finally, if you want real threats to be paranoid about, check out the threads on Lyme Disease and ticks.

  8. #8
    Registered User brian039's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-27-2009
    Location
    Guntersville, Alabama
    Age
    45
    Posts
    580
    Images
    2

    Default

    Other than Georgia and Watauga Lake they aren't a problem. Occasionally there will be a problem bear in the Smokies. Just don't camp at Watauga Lake and use the bear cables at the shelters in Georgia and the Smokies. Bear containers are overkill. You can hang your food or sleep with it, just make sure if you hang your food you are doing it right, if you aren't sure then it is better to sleep with your food.

  9. #9

    Default

    The high peaks area of the Adirondack is a different story. I've backpacked there twice and had bear encounters both times. Neither time were the bears threatening in any way. The bear and I saw each other a we both went about our business. Google "Yellow+yellow+bear" and find a good NY Times article about this bear.

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2008
    Location
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    Age
    69
    Posts
    3,605

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 10-K View Post
    Of course others have seen more and had more intimate encounters

    (now waiting on WM.... )
    If you would slow down and smell the bear scat...........

    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  11. #11

    Default

    If I may add to gnpwdrtreason's question, do people typically hang bear bags in the northern portion of the Appalachian Trail (Maine, New Hampshire, etc.)? I'm going SOBO soon and I haven't found a lot of information on that specifically, except that bears are less common north of PA.... The 2011 Thruhiker's Companion seems to recommend hanging bear bags for the whole AT... I know of the should I/shouldn't I bear bag debate, so I guess this question is mostly for people who would hang a bear bag in the Southern portion of the AT, although I'd appreciate feedback from anyone. I'm from Georgia so I don't know what goes on up there

  12. #12

    Join Date
    07-18-2010
    Location
    island park,ny
    Age
    66
    Posts
    11,909
    Images
    218

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Trail_Name View Post
    If I may add to gnpwdrtreason's question, do people typically hang bear bags in the northern portion of the Appalachian Trail (Maine, New Hampshire, etc.)? I'm going SOBO soon and I haven't found a lot of information on that specifically, except that bears are less common north of PA.... The 2011 Thruhiker's Companion seems to recommend hanging bear bags for the whole AT... I know of the should I/shouldn't I bear bag debate, so I guess this question is mostly for people who would hang a bear bag in the Southern portion of the AT, although I'd appreciate feedback from anyone. I'm from Georgia so I don't know what goes on up there
    im starting SOBO from katahdin August 1.
    Ill be sleeping with my food.

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rastraikis View Post
    Are bears scared or amused by hats? I think amused. Maybe scared if you have a moose antler hat?
    or a rabbits foot being used as a flash light fab.

    But no the op is not being overly, many here asked that same question at one time, if only to themselves, for fear of reprisal.

  14. #14

    Join Date
    07-18-2010
    Location
    island park,ny
    Age
    66
    Posts
    11,909
    Images
    218

    Default

    just for fun, a short film on how to handle yourself:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u2guUGVPvQ

    now just remember, black bears generally dont act like this.

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-27-2012
    Location
    Atlanta Ga
    Age
    53
    Posts
    196

    Default

    Seen 2, only in Georgia on the trail near neels gap. been hiking and camping my whole life, it was the only ones ive seen on the east coast. they were way more scared of me than I was of them. But id rather not find one with an attitude.

  16. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-17-2007
    Location
    Michigan
    Age
    64
    Posts
    5,126

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hikerboy57 View Post
    just for fun, a short film on how to handle yourself:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u2guUGVPvQ

    now just remember, black bears generally dont act like this.
    Yes those were grizzly bears. A completely different animal.

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-20-2002
    Location
    Damascus, Virginia
    Age
    65
    Posts
    31,349

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gnpwdrtreason View Post
    Ok might seem like a stupid question, I know there are a lot of bears on the trail, my only question is: are there any special precautions I would have to take for a thru hike? Special containers, etc. Or am I just being overly paranoid?
    don't sleep in shelters, a tent is preferable, and sleep WITH your food

  18. #18
    Registered User VT-Mike's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-19-2012
    Location
    green mtns, vt
    Posts
    106

    Default

    Bears are really active in the Upper Valley area of NH this year. I'm just a few miles from the trail and seen a big sow and two cubs walking around my house. Oh yeah I jumped the river from VT. So guess I'm NH-Mike now! Haven't heard of bears bothering any shelters or campsite though.
    -My feet are my only carriage so I've got to push on through-

  19. #19
    GSMNP 900 Miler rmitchell's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-13-2011
    Location
    Knoxville,Tn
    Age
    68
    Posts
    511
    Images
    4

    Default

    It could be a matter of timing. Much of the Nobo thru hikers are moving through the southern mountains before bears and snakes are active. I have worked on Sweat Crews in four different years and have encountered a bear, rattlesnake or pigs on almost every trip. I am usually more concerned about yellow jackets or hornets.

  20. #20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Trail_Name View Post
    .... I haven't found a lot of information on that specifically, except that bears are less common north of PA......
    Bears are very common in NJ

    Quote Originally Posted by brian039 View Post
    ... bear in the Smokies.... use the bear cables ... and the Smokies...
    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...of-Bear-Cables

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •