Bear aware

[WyoBowhunter21]

I was reading Becca and Luke's dall sheep story and a question was brought up about grizzlies and the cape/meat. Well that got me thinking about what everyone does to prevent a happening with a bear while hunting in bear country. I have always put my food up in a tree, 30 to 50 yards from camp but my question is do you put something around your tent to prevent the bears from coming around while you sleep? I have seen some "pack able" electric fences but those seem way to heavy to pack and set up.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I hunt in grizzly country a lot. I have always just hung my food (and other smellies like toothpaste) 100 feet from camp one way, and ate or had a campfire 100 feet another way. In places above treeline where I can't hang food, I store it away from camp where I can see the location from a distance. I feel much better when it is hung appropriately though.

I have had way more trouble with moose than bears in the woods.

 

[crumy]

I am taking a hunt this year where Yogi is supposed to live. We are taking OP bags and like bitteroot keep foot one way and eat the other. As far as bears in the tent.... never worry about it.. That nylon wall keeps everything out and a bear cant get in without unzipping the door... That is at least what I tell my self to help me sleep. What I have read and done is NOTHING goes in the tent that might have a food or other smell. no flavored water, wet wipes, toothpaste, or gum. Just sleeping bag and smell human (after a couple of days)

 

[Titaniumman]

Don't you know Yogi lives in Jellystone Park? You can't hunt there man

 

[crumy]

shhhhh... I am going there for my moose and squirrel hunt this year..........

Don't you know Yogi lives in Jellystone Park? You can't hunt there man

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I hunt in grizzly country a lot. I have always just hung my food (and other smellies like toothpaste) 100 feet from camp one way, and ate or had a campfire 100 feet another way. In places above treeline where I can't hang food, I store it away from camp where I can see the location from a distance. I feel much better when it is hung appropriately though.

I have had way more trouble with moose than bears in the woods.

Alright, that's kind of the answer I was expecting. Here in Wyoming it's hard to say, a lot of grizzlies here now. On a trip this year we packed in the Friday night and came out Saturday. On the way out there was a grizz track right on mine, about 300 yards from my tent. A little uneasy feeling in that pack out. Good thing it was just a scout trip.

 

[Wrongside]

We have a very healthy grizzly population here on the eastern slopes. Though our government is convinced they are 'threatened'...

Usually... Food gets strung up high, 30-50 yards away when possible. Cook 20-30 yards off. Latrine 30-50 yards off. Keep a clean camp.

Sometimes... Cook in the shelter/vestibule. Food bag wrapped up tight and stuffed in a corner. Bear spray/rifle loaded.

Never had issues and don't worry about it much. ( knock on wood )

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

We have a very healthy grizzly population here on the eastern slopes. Though our government is convinced they are 'threatened'...

Usually... Food gets strung up high, 30-50 yards away when possible. Cook 20-30 yards off. Latrine 30-50 yards off. Keep a clean camp.

Sometimes... Cook in the shelter/vestibule. Food bag wrapped up tight and stuffed in a corner. Bear spray/rifle loaded.

Never had issues and don't worry about it much. ( knock on wood )

Oh how I hate that word "threatened". I believe they said that about another species here in Wyoming. haha.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I am taking a hunt this year where Yogi is supposed to live. We are taking OP bags and like bitteroot keep foot one way and eat the other. As far as bears in the tent.... never worry about it.. That nylon wall keeps everything out and a bear cant get in without unzipping the door... That is at least what I tell my self to help me sleep. What I have read and done is NOTHING goes in the tent that might have a food or other smell. no flavored water, wet wipes, toothpaste, or gum. Just sleeping bag and smell human (after a couple of days)

Thanks! How are you liking the cold weather in Laramie? I am headed back there Friday.

 

[luke moffat]

A lot of the time hanging trees here in Alaska with when only our toothpick sized trees are the only thing around if below treeline and often camped above tree line so hanging food/meat/cape, really isn't be a good option for securing it. Keeping a clean camp is the best measure you can do. Personally I don't store my food away from my tent, (the meat I do), as I want to protect it cause if I lose my food the hunts over gotta head home. Its good to be bear aware, but hardly do I lose sleep over being in bear country without a bear fence and the like. Bear fences are heavy for backpacking more than just a few miles IMO. Not worth the weight really in my expience in grizz country up here in Alaska, to each their own though. Getting a good nights sleep is paramount to helping you hunt hard so maybe hauling the 2 or so pounds would be worth it for you.

-Luke

 

[Floorguy]

The last couple years I have hunted moose in one of the predator control areas where the bear population is big enough that they have opened it up to bear snaring summer/fall baiting and liberal hunting where with a permit there is no limit on black bears and any black bear is open. Brown bear is general licence and they might have made snaring open for them as well I can't remember. While I could hang food I don't, my camp is clean and the food is probably 20 ft from my tent. I have found the predator control permit is pretty good at keeping big furry creatures away.

 

[Ray]

How high are you folks hanging your food?

The reason I ask is that in the TV show about the bear dude out at Yhentna river, they filmed a medium sized brown bear climbing a spruce tree. She made it up the 20ft tree in about 3 seconds. And then she hung out up top and watched Charley and the film crew.

Maybe US grizzlies in the Rockies don't climb trees.

 

[blb078]

Could always look into something like this. Might not scare a bear away but it'd at least wake you up and it's only 1/2 lb. I guess it could scare one off if the alarm was loud enough. http://www.bestbearfence.com/products/components/portable bear alarm/bearalarm.htm
I guess it just depends on the person as to what you like. Some keep a clean camp, but I've seen many videos/pics of people with a fire/eating right at the camp in the mountains.

 

[Matt Cashell]

How high are you folks hanging your food?

The reason I ask is that in the TV show about the bear dude out at Yhentna river, they filmed a medium sized brown bear climbing a spruce tree. She made it up the 20ft tree in about 3 seconds. And then she hung out up top and watched Charley and the film crew.

Maybe US grizzlies in the Rockies don't climb trees.

Grizzlys down here can climb trees too, and of course so do blackies, and they can eat all your food too. To prevent this, you just hang your food away from the trunk and under the branch. I pretty much follow this:

I have never heard of anybody losing hung food. I have personally seen ransacked camps though from people keeping their food in their tent.

 

[JP7]

Good thread and good advice. I was gonna ask this question myself. UDAP does make an electric bear fence that weighs in a 3.5 pounds that I'm thinking about, but not sure how I feel about it. Like others have said though, getting good sleep might be well worth the extra 3.5 pounds.

 

[Beastmode]

3.5 lbs sounds heavy to me. I always hang my food up and have never had a bear mess with it or my tent. I you want an alarm to wake you up consider fishing string and bells or aluminum cans surrounding your camp. I think that would be enough to wake a person up and be small and light enough to justify.

 

[blb078]

3.5 lbs sounds heavy to me. I always hang my food up and have never had a bear mess with it or my tent. I you want an alarm to wake you up consider fishing string and bells or aluminum cans surrounding your camp. I think that would be enough to wake a person up and be small and light enough to justify.

Fishing line w/bells isn't a bad idea. Depending on how many bells you put up you might be close to 8oz w/that though but it'd be cheaper than the alarm.
To me 3.5lbs isn't much when you consider the insurance it gives you, assuming it's a good enough shock to scare a bear off. Most people on here wouldn't think of having that fence but then again all it takes is for one attack, even though rare, to change peoples minds.

Here's a video of that pack alarm, seems pretty loud, also further down is another idea/video of an alarm
http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=145917

 

[Beastmode]

Fishing line w/bells isn't a bad idea. Depending on how many bells you put up you might be close to 8oz w/that though but it'd be cheaper than the alarm.
To me 3.5lbs isn't much when you consider the insurance it gives you, assuming it's a good enough shock to scare a bear off. Most people on here wouldn't think of having that fence but then again all it takes is for one attack, even though rare, to change peoples minds.

I understand your concern blb. Bears are definitely ssomething that could ruin a trip. You can "what if" things all day long. It eventually gets to a point when you can only bring so much for that "what if" factor. We are backpacking and not wall tent camping. I personally feel that hanging my food up is enough for me.

 

[TwoTikkas]

A couple fellas I know drop camp the Bob Marshall every year in archery elk season. They pack in solar fencers to charge wire around the sleeping quarters. I don't know what charger they supply at the outfitters,but I would think a 16 joule sheep fencer would do the trick. Sasquatch would give that a wide berth,lol. Seriously,I guess the bears in the Bob are getting pretty bold. These fellas never quarter or pack alone.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Dang you guys have given me a lot of info. I have been curious what everyone would say. I don't know how I feel about the 3.5 pounds. That seems quite a lot. I will check out that alarm though. That and the fishing line and bells seems like a great option!