Safer to sleep near shelters or away from them?

[Chaco Taco]

I agree Pingus - I think the bear scare is overratted as well - the scariest thing really is from the bear's side of things - not ours. If they become too much of a nuisance and have to be euthanized that is.... it's a scary situation for the poor creatures that are just fast learners and finding the highest calorie content they can - where they can. Obviously - concentration is an issue for an animal that's got a sense of smell 2,300 times better than ours - and is smart ... ie - odds less likely to see a bear away from the shelters (especially at busy times of year). Just use approved campsites please!

What is deemed as "approved"? Many campsites arent off the trail as much as they should be. They are overused spots that people assume are approved because of their overuse.

[SouthMark]

I was hiking in SNP last July, and walked up on a mother with two cubs. They were about 75 yards away, we both saw each other at the same time. The mother turned and ran away from me, and the cubs shot up a tree lightning fast. They stayed there for about a minute, mom made a grunting aound, and the cubs came down and ran away with mom.

I was watching an episode on the NatGeo channel of America the Wild with Casey Anderson. He was in Maine with some members of the Maine Warden service. They proceeded to remove two cubs form mama bear and Casey was nervous. One of the wardens stated that "not to worry, black bears live by running away".

Twice I came upon a mama bear with cubs and both times she ran them up a tree and proceeded to bluff charge me and then climbed up the tree with them. One actually feel asleep in a big fork of the tree and would wake every few minutes to check on the cubs. I watched them for maybe 30 or more minutes.

[BirdBrain]

The only issue with bears are hikers not caring for their food properly. And campfire pits and shelters with trash. Alleviate this and the bear problem is gone.

Pretty much sums it up in a simple way. problem is people would rather argue location of food than detail their strategy. We should all be on the same side... the Blissful side.

[yellowsirocco]

I have hiked 70% of the trail. I have seen 2 bears during that time. One was at the shelter just off McAfee knob which the bear looked like it was just there for a drink. The other was when I was hiking at the crack of dawn which is when you see all the wildlife anyway. Bears are the boogeyman.

[HikerMom58]

Pretty much sums it up in a simple way. problem is people would rather argue location of food than detail their strategy. We should all be on the same side... the Blissful side.

I agree. The problem is simple, the solution seems impossible. Even though hikers are not being attacked/ killed, we still have a problem with bears. The problem is not overrated. It is what it is. We can't seem to get everyone on ... the Blissful side.

[Chaco Taco]

I agree. The problem is simple, the solution seems impossible. Even though hikers are not being attacked/ killed, we still have a problem with bears. The problem is not overrated. It is what it is. We can't seem to get everyone on ... the Blissful side.

Its a hiker problem, not a bear problem. Its their habitat

[Tipi Walter]

Where I backpack in the Cherokee and Nantahala national forests we have concerted death squads out roaming the forest to perform what I call "Ethnic Cleansing" of the bear population so the bears I see are very skittish. The hunter's dogs are much more of a nuisance than any bear. They are pretty much abandoned in the woods and glom onto any backpacker they see and will leap into a tent to cower (watch out thermarest) and steal any food you may have sitting out. I had one pull down a food bag hanging low in a tree. If I just abandoned my pet dog in the woods and walked away, I'd be cited by the Rangers. The hunters get a free pass. I realize the GSMNP is a different situation as the bears there aren't killed so often.

[flemdawg1]

Bears are known to routinely use the trail as a walking path as well. If you are near it camping, chances are a bear will find it, most however avoid humans.

Camp at the shelters or not due to other factors (convenience of tables water sources & prives, social scene, avoid rodents & crowds) bears aren't a significant enough reason to influence the choice.

[HikerMom58]

Its a hiker problem, not a bear problem. Its their habitat

I agree with you 100%.. the bears are fine!! It's our behavior that caused all the problems. I don't know how we can "fix it" b/c we can't control what every hiker does with their food, out there. Soooo, we all have to deal with the consequences. It's not proving to be a particular easy thing to deal with.....maybe part of the solution will be to require everyone to carry bear canisters, at all times. Someone has already suggested that....

[tiptoe]

In general it's best to avoid shelters within a mile or two of roads, but other than that, I generally hang my hammock where I end up within a couple of hours of sunset. If you deal with your food sensibly, odds are that bears and other critters won't be an issue. Until you get comfortable in the woods, you might be happiest at or near shelters in the company of other hikers.

[BirdBrain]

I agree with you 100%.. the bears are fine!! It's our behavior that caused all the problems. I don't know how we can "fix it" b/c we can't control what every hiker does with their food, out there. Soooo, we all have to deal with the consequences. It's not proving to be a particular easy thing to deal with.....maybe part of the solution will be to require everyone to carry bear canisters, at all times. Someone has already suggested that....

Therein lays the real threat. I don't want to have to be forced to carry a bear canister. That will be mandated someday if current attitudes remain. It is much more productive to educate people on good ways to minimize opportunities for bears to get human food, than it is to criticize each other. It will matter little if you are right or wrong when some politician forces you to carry extra weight. The perception of the rule maker is more important than snide remarks driven by comfort zones.

Personally, I will be hanging my food properly using the pct method. Yes it is overkill, but if it is done right it will give a zero chance of the bear getting the food. I think any reasonable person would agree that is the goal. I too agree: The bears are fine. We are the problem.

[RED-DOG]

When i camp i stay away from the shelters, if you sleep beside a shelter, why not go ahead and sleep in the shelters, Bears use the shelters as a food resource and i have also walked in on sleeping bears in the shelters.

[HikerMom58]

Therein lays the real threat. I don't want to have to be forced to carry a bear canister. That will be mandated someday if current attitudes remain. It is much more productive to educate people on good ways to minimize opportunities for bears to get human food, than it is to criticize each other. It will matter little if you are right or wrong when some politician forces you to carry extra weight. The perception of the rule maker is more important than snide remarks driven by comfort zones.

Personally, I will be hanging my food properly using the pct method. Yes it is overkill, but if it is done right it will give a zero chance of the bear getting the food. I think any reasonable person would agree that is the goal. I too agree: The bears are fine. We are the problem.

No matter what I do with my food. I will make sure that it doesn't attract bear at all. If I can be convinced that the odor proof sacks work well, I might try that and keep the food with me in my tent. Not for sure about that yet...

When i camp i stay away from the shelters, if you sleep beside a shelter, why not go ahead and sleep in the shelters, Bears use the shelters as a food resource and i have also walked in on sleeping bears in the shelters.

Have you really walked up on a bear sleeping in the shelter? Wow,... I have never heard anyone share that before, although I don't see why the bears wouldn't, sleep in the shelters sometimes.

[RED-DOG]

Yes Hikermomkd i have actually walked in on sleeping bears inside the shelters,and i also been awaken by bears trying to get inside shelters, thats another reason i only use shelters in crappy weather and when i do use the shelters i stay on the top bunk if equiped with one, so don't think that the shelters are a safe haven cause their not.

[Chaco Taco]

Old Walnut Mtn Shelter is notorious for bears taking refuge in it

Yes Hikermomkd i have actually walked in on sleeping bears inside the shelters,and i also been awaken by bears trying to get inside shelters, thats another reason i only use shelters in crappy weather and when i do use the shelters i stay on the top bunk if equiped with one, so don't think that the shelters are a safe haven cause their not.

[HikerMom58]

Yes Hikermomkd i have actually walked in on sleeping bears inside the shelters,and i also been awaken by bears trying to get inside shelters, thats another reason i only use shelters in crappy weather and when i do use the shelters i stay on the top bunk if equiped with one, so don't think that the shelters are a safe haven cause their not.

I hear ya RED-DOG.

Old Walnut Mtn Shelter is notorious for bears taking refuge in it

I know about that shelter 2, I didn't know they liked to get in it, tho. I stayed there. When I was there, 2 really cool section hikers were hiking with us. We were hiking with another really cool guy 2. It was at that shelter that I accidentally hug my clothes bag instead one of my food bags on the bear cable. The guys would not let me live it down. They were laughing hysterically at me. No sign of bears at all when we were there, in 2010.

[Slo-go'en]

Most of the bears are down in the valley raiding dumpsters, garbage cans and bird feeders...