bear canisters

[tommy]

going to colorado this fall for my 1st archery elk hunt and need some advice where you have to use it and which are the best ones out there

 

[couesbitten]

My personal opinion is that they are a gimmick. I've never camped where they are required, but I've spent plenty of time in areas thick with black bears. If I was concerned about bears and keeping my camp safe and food out of a bears reach, I would put my food in a stuff sack and suspend it from a tree branch 50 yards out of camp.

 

[desertcj]

I just carry a bear tag. Never seen one since....lol.

 

[muddydogs]

Bear canisters are problematic at best, since there hard plastic they do add weight and are limited on space inside but due to the structure take up a lot of space in your pack. Every time I have used one I have found I also needed a stuff sack to hang all the stuff that won't fit in the canister. If you are thinking about leaving the canister on the ground instead of hanging it and do happen to have a bear come along the bear will most likely knock the slippery plastic tube into the next county. A $2.00 stuff sack and a bit of rope hangs food just fine.

 

[SHTF]

As others have said no need. Just get a good dry bag and carry your food in that then throw it on the end of a 50 foot rope and hoist it up in a tree at least 15 feet. Your all set. I live here in Colorado and never had any issues with bears as long as the food is up in the tree in the dry bag.

 

[buttekid]

I also use my stuff sack hung from a tree away from camp and have never had any issues.

 

[boom]

I have one. The clear blue one w the black lid. Used it this weekend. I hate the damn thing. But where I went you run the risk of a ticket if you don't have one. The rule is vague. You need the canister, and that's all they check. That you h have one in camp. Usually there is food not in it. I ran across a bunch of axe ladies. Park ranger types clearing trail. She said the ranger never checks that area. I might not take it next time. It's heavy and really eats up pack space. It makes a decent sitting stool tho. And I have the tiny one. More of a squat stool.

 

[oldgoat]

UltraGlide Bear Bagging Line at LawsonEquipment.com

This stuff works as advertised, used it last year to hang our stuff sack in a snag. I live in Colorado and I don't know of any place outside of the National Park that require a canister and I don't know anybody that uses one. We do try to keep a clean camp and try not to have any food in the tent especially when we aren't there!

 

[flyinsquirel]

I'll be dammed if I'll use one of them pieces of s$#t unless regulations require it. Even then it irritates me to no end. Heavy, cumbersome and pointless. The only thing they are good for is giving hippies a warm fuzzy.

Learn to hang your food correctly and you'll never have a problem. Don't listen to any of those leave-no-tracers on the back packing forums that get all twisted inside when they see a fire ring. The horror......

That Lawson bear line is legit, get some.

 

[SHTF]

Agree on the Lawson Line. I own about 3 rolls of the stuff. its awesome.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

They are required in gmu43. I am not sure if They are required anywhere else but they will ticket you if caught. If you don't want to carry one I would recommend you go to another unit.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[motts]

You might want to look into an ursack with the aluminum liner, but contact the office that manages your specific area to see if they accept it as an alternative to the hard-sided containers before purchasing. I'll also echo what everyone else has said about the Lawson's ultraglide bearline, very good stuff.

 

[KJH]

I don't ever recall trying to bear proof anything when hunting in CO... even if there are bears around. Never saw the need for it there. Be smart and I think you'll be fine 99/100 times. That 1 out of a hundred will make for a good experience story a few years later... haha.

I guess I'd take one if the regulations required it, otherwise I wouldn't take a bear canister. If you can hike to the truck within a day, I can't see worrying about it.

 

[gumbl3]

$15 for 50' of cord? Good lawd, I hope that stuff will last my whole life

 

[Akicita]

In areas I am required to use one I use the Ursack . Much easier to pack than the canisters.