Backpack Hunting in Grizzly Country

[kodiakfly]

My definition is of clean is a well organized camp, without trash everywhere. For one, I should preface that their are some major differences between base/spike camp hunting, and backpack hunting.

When I am backpack hunting, my trash from candy wrappers,bars,snacks, etc, goes inside a used mountain house packet. I fill it up, and if need be, then I go to another used mountain house packet. The empty packets/trash go into the bottom of my food bag. Burning garbage is sometimes an option depending on the circumstances. The extent of my "cooking" while backpack hunting, is boiling water. I routinely keep my mountain house's, snacks, and lunch food in a food bag, which stays in either the tent with me, or in the vestibule. When the weather is bad, I often cook (boil water) inside my tent/vestibule. Many times I've been tent bound for multiple days at a time when waiting out a storm, this is another instance when I cook in my tent.

As far as human waste goes, I dig catholes for you know what, and burn the toilet paper. This is always done away from camp, as one shouldn't **** where they eat.

Now, when I have a spike camp where weight isn't a factor, for instance during brown bear hunts, things operate a little differently. We bring in a cooler of real food (bacon, steaks, eggs, chicken, sausage, etc, etc), along with some veggies, canned foods, and other assorted food items. We generally have one tent for cooking, and one for sleeping. These tents will often be in close proximity to each other, depending on the lay of the land where we are camping. I keep one trash bag for garbage, and when that is full, I tie it off and start another one. If circumstances dictate, sometimes the garbage gets burned, sometimes it gets flown out. After cooking a meal, dishes are usually done after eating said meal, hence keeping things clean.

I find that there is a lot of bearanoia out there, especially when it comes to what to do with food in bear country. I've never felt the need to hang anything in a tree, cook 100 yards away from camp, or any of that other stuff. I've been camping and hunting in Alaska for quite a long time, and have never had a bear get into my camp (knock on wood), other than walking by.

Just my thoughts....

This ^^^^^

I strongly recommend an electric bear fence if you can manage one...but only for base or extended spike camps. I'm not so concerned about a night attack, but during the day I am not there to protect my tent from a curious bear of any color. That said, after hundreds of days and nights afield in central Alaska, I've not had a bear mess with my camp once...fence or no fence.

And this ^^^^^

 

[hooker]

Am I the only one that has never had a bear interested in unopened Mountain house? Not saying its a good idea to leave them laying around. But to the OP's question? Never had a bear mess with a unopened Mountain personally.

 

[BoonROTO]

My dog has found, opened and then eaten Mt. House meals, there is no doubt a bear can smell its contents.

 

[BroodBuster]

^^^mine too^^^

And then went and emptied the water bowl

 

[from_ky]

To hijack the thread alittle, there seems to be a much relaxed view of grizzly attacks from the folks in Ak. Do you guys carry bear spray or a gun or both? If so, does that coupled with ur experience lead you to not worry so much about bear?

 

[weaver]

To hijack the thread alittle, there seems to be a much relaxed view of grizzly attacks from the folks in Ak. Do you guys carry bear spray or a gun or both? If so, does that coupled with ur experience lead you to not worry so much about bear?

I'm not from Alaska but I think the ability to legally kill a bear might have something to do with it.

 

[from_ky]

I'm not from Alaska but I think the ability to legally kill a bear might have something to do with it.

it is legal to kill a bear in defense. I guess you could be questioned whether ur camp attracted the bear ....

 

[AK Troutbum]

To hijack the thread alittle, there seems to be a much relaxed view of grizzly attacks from the folks in Ak. Do you guys carry bear spray or a gun or both? If so, does that coupled with ur experience lead you to not worry so much about bear?

Bears are just a fact of life here. If you're going to get out and about, you're going to encounter bears. Hell, sometimes getting out and about can be as simple as stepping out your front door. We had two brown bears (sow and a cub) in our front yard last summer. You definitely need to be conscious of bears up here, but they're not an every day occurrence, and it's always a good idea to keep as clean of the camp as you possibly can, although that's not a guarantee that they won't come into camp. I've never owned a can of bear spray, mainly because I'm always packing a firearm, and it almost seems redundant. I do think that bear spray has its place it's just that I'm not going to carry both and I'm definitely carrying a gun.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

2 fences, one for your tent and one for your food (if no trees around). Cheap insurance that'll help you sleep. Dropped for float hunt or for a base camp the 3.7lb to 9lb fences at http://www.udap.com/mm5/category/bear-electric-fences would be welcome. Not for any distance backpacking though, I agree. Even then, 3.7lbs for an UL fence isn't too burdensome. I guess it depends on the individual and the location. It would suck to be in open country devoid of trees and return to find your food gone and camp in tatters.

 

[luke moffat]

Rarely do I haul one fence on trips let alone two. 4 pounds in bear fences doesn't sound very backpack friendly. But if not packing in far a fence is a good option. But I certainly don't haul one with me when backpacking....even on Kodiak.

I am much more worried about my camp when I am away from it while out hunting then if a bear is gonna eat me while I sleep.

Don't get me wrong bear fences do serve a purpose but I just can't see hauling 2 fences around ever.

 

[outdoorsman_3]

2 questions. I am doing a fly in drop camp where weight is limited. We have a bear fence on the gear list. With a fence would you hang your food or just keep it inside of the fence? Second with only one fence would you use the fence to keep around the meat after an animal is killed or around camp?

 

[duchntr]

Agreed, I am certainly never going to be backpacking with a bear fence because generally I break camp and move to a different location daily, but a drop camp is a different story. I don't want a bear getting into my tent or the hanging meat while I'm gone, it is always in the back of my mind when I leave camp.

 

[Kevin Dill]

2 questions. I am doing a fly in drop camp where weight is limited. We have a bear fence on the gear list. With a fence would you hang your food or just keep it inside of the fence? Second with only one fence would you use the fence to keep around the meat after an animal is killed or around camp?

Suggest you go with the fence around your tent/camp to begin. If a curious bear is in the area they will likely find you within a few days. The fence will let you hunt with less worry about camp while away. Depending on a number of variables, I would think about shifting the fence to protect meat after a kill. I believe a bear will be much more attracted to natural meat and blood odors than your camp. Keep your meat cache at least 200 yards from camp if possible. Meat IS bear bait and a lot of guys tend to forget that little fact. There's a decent chance...if a kill is made...that someone will be closer to camp much of the time and can defend it if a bear noses in.

Bears are the reality even if never seen. Last August I hopped out of a Super Cub on a solo hunt. Two hours later I was hazing a rather large silvertip which was headed right into my chosen camp area. A couple days later my fence kept him back from my tipi...which I just happened to be sitting in. I'm not afraid of grizzlies but I have huge respect for their potential to ruin my hunt and maybe my face. I will be found with my diy (very light) fence, pepper spray and a damned good firearm/sidearm when in big bear country.

 

[325 wsm]

I do things the same as Adventure 907. I guess down south you have a lot more rules and regulations regarding bears. I used to have a dog with me all the time and believe a well trained dog is the best thing you can have in bear country besides your rifle.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I do things the same as Adventure 907. I guess down south you have a lot more rules and regulations regarding bears. I used to have a dog with me all the time and believe a well trained dog is the best thing you can have in bear country besides your rifle.

Agreed, and I'd like to emphasize the, well trained part. I had a very good Chocolate Lab for 13 years, that accompanied me on all of my fishing trips be it fly out float trips, local float trips, or walk in day trips. There were many, many, times that she would sound off during the night and I never knew what for, but I never once had a bear in camp that I knew of. She would go nuts when she saw or smelled a bear but she would never leave my side. I think it was my second float trip that I went on after she died and had a bear in camp.

In regards to electric bear fences, I take a backpacker model on most of my hunts. I have personally witnessed this thing work and I am completely sold on them. Well worth the 37 oz. of insurance, IMO.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Who makes a 2.3lb BP fence?

 

[Kevin Dill]

Who makes a 2.3lb BP fence?

http://www.electrobearguard.com/Kit_Content_2.html

 

[AK Troutbum]

That's the one I have. They list it at 2.5 lbs. According to my scale it's 37 oz. including 2 AA batteries. Anyway, it's not too heavy and when you split the weight with a buddy it's very manageable.

 

[luke moffat]

But do you haul two of them in?

 

[AK Troutbum]

But do you haul two of them in?

I don't know if this question is for me or not but, no, I only take one fence.