sitting on bear cans

[jefals]

A lot of folks mention how convenient it is to have a bear can to sit on. I presume you only do that 100 feet or more from your camp, right? Where you're cooking, since that's where the can is supposed to be. .....?

[Gambit McCrae]

I would assume that folks have their bear can with them until time to go to bed, and then put it 100 from camp...And they are not sitting on it in their sleep lol

[nsherry61]

No. Not any more than I carry it 100 ft from where I'm walking.

By and large, bears are looking for an easy unguarded meal. So they snoop where there is scent of food and not active people to scare them off. When I am awake and sitting on my food it's not a problem. When I am asleep on my food, it is generally not a problem, but on the rare occasion that sleeping on my food might not be enough deterrent, the cost is so catastrophic as to not risk it while sleeping. . . except when the risk is already super low, and sleeping on your food moves the likelihood of a problem to so near zero that some of us are willing to take that risk.

[Five Tango]

I recently bot the aluminum liner for my Usack S29 All White bear bag.By placing my sit pad on top it serves as a usable stool for me but I weigh just under 150lbs.I always have an odor blocking bag like a Lok Sak or Base Camp bag inside the Ursack.It sleeps far enough away from my hammock so as not to disturb me too much should a creature find it.Putting a piece of reflective tape on it is a real plus for locating it in the early mornings too.

When it comes to cooking the question I have is this-just how much odor signature is really given off and airborne when all you do is reconstitute rice or potatoes or some MH or Packet Gourmet type meal?I would think its negligible compared to actually cooking or frying something.Any data out there?Personally,I would want to be a whole lot further away than 100 ft from where bacon was fried etc. but maybe that's just me.....

[DuneElliot]

Why would you not sit on it in camp? You're only putting it 100ft or more away from camp when you sleep as that is when it is not protected and you want to keep any inquisitive bears away from you while unconscious. I, too, "cook" in camp with my freezer bag meals. And apparently they don't smell much as the bear who DID wander 100 yards away from camp didn't even look in my direction after he came crashing down the creek (I wasn't going to hang food but did after that).

[Berserker]

A lot of folks mention how convenient it is to have a bear can to sit on. I presume you only do that 100 feet or more from your camp, right? Where you're cooking, since that's where the can is supposed to be. .....?

The can is with me until I go to sleep. So it's either in my pack, or in camp where I use it as a chair. In camp I usually keep the lid on and locked when not actively accessing it for food. When I get ready to turn in for the night I walk a little ways from camp and set it somewhere...usually less than 100' away and often in some weeds or something that will partially conceal it. Most of the time I'm camped near a shelter (where people have their food in the shelter) and/or where there are other people that have food in their tent. So, as long as it's not under my vestibule or right next to the tent that's good enough as far as I'm concerned.

[DuneElliot]

The can is with me until I go to sleep. So it's either in my pack, or in camp where I use it as a chair. In camp I usually keep the lid on and locked when not actively accessing it for food. When I get ready to turn in for the night I walk a little ways from camp and set it somewhere...usually less than 100' away and often in some weeds or something that will partially conceal it. Most of the time I'm camped near a shelter (where people have their food in the shelter) and/or where there are other people that have food in their tent. So, as long as it's not under my vestibule or right next to the tent that's good enough as far as I'm concerned.

Reminds me of the meme: You don't have to be able to run fast, just faster than the others you hike with.

[Venchka]

Brother Jeff failed to mention where he might be sitting on his bear can.
Suffice to say that a perfect location among rocks or small trees that prevents Br’er Bear from playing kick the can with your groceries, Go for it!
The 100’ is a Red Herring.
Just go hiking!
Wayne

[MuddyWaters]

Your can should be close you, where you can defend it.
It IS NOT bear proof.
It is resistant

If your not willing to holler and throw rocks at black bear trying to get your food.......just stay home.

P.s. even if you put can 200' away ,mr bear stll knows EXACTLY where you are. You are not any safer.

Now a grizz.......put your food 1/4 mile away

[jefals]

Your can should be close you, where you can defend it.

Uh huh. Not me, bub!

[jefals]

thanks y'all. got it. I'll go with the consensus, and stash it at bedtime.

[jefals]

When it comes to cooking the question I have is this-just how much odor signature is really given off and airborne when all you do is reconstitute rice or potatoes or some MH or Packet Gourmet type meal?I would think its negligible compared to actually cooking or frying something.Any data out there?Personally,I would want to be a whole lot further away than 100 ft from where bacon was fried etc. but maybe that's just me.....

I started a thread about that subject not too long ago. Most folks seemed to agree with your thinking.
What about granola bars? I usually have a couple of those in my pants pocket. Bears might be able to smell those a little better than a mountain house, though. I don't know.

[Berserker]

Your can should be close you, where you can defend it.
It IS NOT bear proof.
It is resistant

If your not willing to holler and throw rocks at black bear trying to get your food.......just stay home.

P.s. even if you put can 200' away ,mr bear stll knows EXACTLY where you are. You are not any safer.

Now a grizz.......put your food 1/4 mile away

Agreed. All my knowledge and small amount of personal experience with black bears has proven that one should fight back against an aggressive black bear. So yeah, keeping the food closer makes more sense.

Don't have any experience with grizzly bears, and not planning to get much either...those things honestly freak me out a bit. It didn't help that I just recently watched The Revenant, and there's a long graphic bear attack scene in there that's both amazing from a cinematic perspective and just down right nasty when you put yourself in the position of the character in movie.

[Venchka]

Muddy Waters over exaggerates Grizz habitat.
Maybe that’s a good thing if it reduces the number of visitors.
Have fun Y’all!
Wayne

[DuneElliot]

Agreed. All my knowledge and small amount of personal experience with black bears has proven that one should fight back against an aggressive black bear. So yeah, keeping the food closer makes more sense.
Don't have any experience with grizzly bears, and not planning to get much either...those things honestly freak me out a bit. It didn't help that I just recently watched The Revenant, and there's a long graphic bear attack scene in there that's both amazing from a cinematic perspective and just down right nasty when you put yourself in the position of the character in movie.

Then don't read about the guy in MT who got attacked TWICE in under an hour by the same mama bear and lived. It was graphic and terrifying.

BTW...the true story The Revenant was based on actually happened in summer in South Dakota

[Venchka]

Animal deaths in the USA: Grizz doesn’t even register on the radar.
https://www.elsevier.com/about/press...ains-unchanged
Get out there and have fun Y’all!
Wayne

[Five Tango]

Then don't read about the guy in MT who got attacked TWICE in under an hour by the same mama bear and lived. It was graphic and terrifying.

BTW...the true story The Revenant was based on actually happened in summer in South Dakota

I saw the documentary about the twice attacked guy on YouTube.If my memory serves me well,I think he was an experienced forester.He was armed with both Bear Spray and a large caliber pistol.I think he did get off one blast of the gas before mama bear was on him.On the second attack he went for his pistol which had been lost in attack number one unbeknownst to him.Sorry if my recollection is fuzzy but it was one of those videos you don't want to watch twice.He did say the short blast of gas was eventually helpful in breaking up the first attack I think.

[DuneElliot]

I saw the documentary about the twice attacked guy on YouTube.If my memory serves me well,I think he was an experienced forester.He was armed with both Bear Spray and a large caliber pistol.I think he did get off one blast of the gas before mama bear was on him.On the second attack he went for his pistol which had been lost in attack number one unbeknownst to him.Sorry if my recollection is fuzzy but it was one of those videos you don't want to watch twice.He did say the short blast of gas was eventually helpful in breaking up the first attack I think.

That would be it. It was definitely gruesome and amazing that he survived not one but both attacks. He was well-prepared and experienced but some mama bears are more protective than others...like the one of a guy walking backwards and filming as a mama Griz and her two cubs just keep walking towards him. You can even hear him exasperated that they keep following and don't leave the trail. Mama didn't seem too concerned but I can't imagine how scary it was for the guy on the trail...he did everything right though.

[Five Tango]

Yep,saw that one too.I was thinking the whole time ,"Dude,why can't you exit the trail downhill and let them go by?"

[DuneElliot]

Yep,saw that one too.I was thinking the whole time ,"Dude,why can't you exit the trail downhill and let them go by?"

Kinda tough to do going backwards...you aren't ever supposed to turn your back on a bear, and probably don't want to get below them either. What if the cubs had still followed out of curiosity? Then the dude would really have no way to go...can't keep going backwards like that. And any noise or excess movement might have triggered the mama's more aggressive response. She looked pretty chilled in the video so I'm guessing the guy didn't want to up the ante at all.