Storing food in Griz country

[Santa]

Prepping for a future DIY hunt. I’m curious how you guys store your food when away from camp? 1) We don’t know whether we’ll be near any timber to string it up in. 2) We’re limited to a 50lb pack, so there’s no room for any extra containers or bear fencing.
I’d rather not have to carry a week’s worth of food on my back everyday…but also don’t want to get back to camp to find my tent shredded. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Food goes right in the tent with me. Never had any issues in Alaska. Been doing it since 1964. Just setup in a place that's not attractive to bears and don't have things setup in a way that causes them to lose their caution and become curious.

 

[Nick Muche]

I too keep all my food in my tent. You could get a 3.5lb bear fence from UDAP, they work pretty well if you're worried about it.

 

[Bucky44]

Prepping for a future DIY hunt. I’m curious how you guys store your food when away from camp? 1) We don’t know whether we’ll be near any timber to string it up in. 2) We’re limited to a 50lb pack, so there’s no room for any extra containers or bear fencing.
I’d rather not have to carry a week’s worth of food on my back everyday…but also don’t want to get back to camp to find my tent shredded. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Food right beside the tent in plastic totes. Been doing this since 1972 here in Alaska. Both Spring bear and Fall moose hunt. Same procedure starting Sept 13, 2022.

 

[Kevin Dill]

A bit of bear logic is in order here.

Truly wild bears (which don't get to eat human stuff) are 1) not automatically attracted to any food smells, and 2) likely to be spooked by human odors. Because we think bacon smells strong and attractive, we may assume a wild bear is attracted to it. They might investigate from a distance, but they're very unlikely to be food-attracted unless prior experience has conditioned them to be that way. In areas and camps occupied repeatedly by hunters (who are careless about food disposal) it's possible for bears to get conditioned to seek food in a hunting camp. Once a bear tastes something it likes, their brain never forgets it.

This is why I'm fanatical about not tossing out excess uneaten food, or placing trash where a bear can access it easily and get a taste. I don't like to actually cook meals in a hunting camp. I rely on freeze dried meals and I eat 100% of what's prepared. Packages get sealed after use. Trash is kept inside my tent in a small but heavy-mil plastic bag. Do NOT burn food trash in a fire, as it will not destroy it completely. All my foodstuffs are kept in the tent. I use urine and human scent around camp as an invisible barrier that bears have a strong tendency to avoid. I want to do everything I can to make it unlikely a bear would ever investigate my camp or food. I've heard it said that storing your food 100 yards from camp is the best way to lose it to a bear....and I agree.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Not to hijack, but curious what you folks think of using some of the bear proof containers when backpacking. Bear vault seems to be a top choice among hikers. I have a hunt in Colorado in an area that requires food be kept in containers coming up this fall.

 

[beignet]

Prepping for a future DIY hunt. I’m curious how you guys store your food when away from camp? 1) We don’t know whether we’ll be near any timber to string it up in. 2) We’re limited to a 50lb pack, so there’s no room for any extra containers or bear fencing.
I’d rather not have to carry a week’s worth of food on my back everyday…but also don’t want to get back to camp to find my tent shredded. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Sometimes I end up spending a solid 30 minutes looking for a good branch to hang it according to suggestion. A pain, but I eventually find something.

If you think you’re absolutely not going to find a branch, Ursack has IGBC bear resistant certification and isn’t a big, bulky container.

 

[Santa]

Thanks for all the experienced feedback, Gents. Very helpful!

 

[KJH]

In the tent with me. I don't even plan for bears anymore. I don't worry about them at all. Bears in the backcountry might be curious but are more afraid of new smells. Never had an issue... I suppose if I do, I might change my mind later. I pee all around my camp and so far it does the trick.

Only bear problem I've ever had was a bear who chewed up my partners stinky leather boot that was upside down on stick drying out overnight. He could have had all the food that was sitting out a few feet away. Instead chewed on a boot. Once I heard it I yelled and it was gone, never to be seen again.

 

[KJH]

I forgot to mention I was elk hunting but staying in some primitive cabins last year and definitely not on a backcountry hunt. A bear came into "camp" and it opened a yeti cooler and enjoyed a WHOLE case (brand new) of twisted tea. Pulled every can out and drank them all. It was funny. 24 crushed & pierced cans later I hope it got drunk. It obviously has bad taste in booze.

The next day it chased a packer and his dog around a camper a couple of times when I wasn't in camp. I wish I could have seen that.