Yep GA bears are nailing food bags

[Ashman]

Are there any signs posted on the trail before you hit the section? If you had no idea that the new regulation was in place, is there any notice on the trail itself? If so, anybody have a pic of it?

[Pedaling Fool]

I think that people hang their food because that's what the majority of people suggest. I remember reading one of LW's post many years ago about sleeping w/ his food. It got me to thinking about the reality of whether hanging was even necessary. When I began my section hike in 2000, I religously hung because of my fears. Then shortly thereafter, I took LW's advice and haven't looked back. I have NEVER had a problem w/ anything trying to get in my tent for food. I realize now after many years of sleeping w/ my food that my original fears were unfounded. I read about today's hanging hoopla and just have to snicker, like I know some secret that most people haven't figured out yet. Take LW's advice,,, sleeping w/ your food is really no big deal, and doesn't deserve the "personal attacks" that are directed towards it. Thanks LW!

Yeah it's funny everytime we hear of a hiker getting his food stolen people here lash out at us that keep our food in our tent. We get blamed for behavior of bears that was started and continues with hanging food.

[T-Rx]

With so many experienced hikers recommending sleeping with your food it does make you think they maybe right on this. I am on WB to learn as much as possible from the experiences of others, so I think the next time I am in the woods I will be keeping my food in my hammock with me. Thanks LW and JT.

[msupple]

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of the Ursack Bear Bag. I'm leaving Springer on April 1st and that's what I'm using. I hiked the Shenandoahs last year which also has a heavy bear population with no problem. I always used oder proof bags inside the Ursack and hung it well away from camp. You can of course also hang it from cables or poles. It's VERY simple and time saving.

I must admit, after reading about so many very experienced hikers sleeping with their food, I'm attamted to give it a try.

Miguel

[Bearpaw]

try it. seriously. 25 years now and i've never hung my food from bears. mice yes back when i was dumb enuf to sleep in a box. never had a problem from either in a tent

Just be sure not to camp in a trashed area. I know of two folks who have had tents entered near the trashy beach area of Watauga Lake. It seems like folks have actually fed the bears there. Lone Wolf will tell you sleeping with your food works (and it does), but he'll also tell you to use some common sense. Common sense for this 5-mile stretch is to walk on through to Neel Gap avoid both the bears and the regulation.

[Pedaling Fool]

With so many experienced hikers recommending sleeping with your food it does make you think they maybe right on this. I am on WB to learn as much as possible from the experiences of others, so I think the next time I am in the woods I will be keeping my food in my hammock with me. Thanks LW and JT.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of the Ursack Bear Bag. I'm leaving Springer on April 1st and that's what I'm using. I hiked the Shenandoahs last year which also has a heavy bear population with no problem. I always used oder proof bags inside the Ursack and hung it well away from camp. You can of course also hang it from cables or poles. It's VERY simple and time saving.

I must admit, after reading about so many very experienced hikers sleeping with their food, I'm attamted to give it a try.

Miguel

Just don't leave your food unattended, regardless where you store it.

[ChinMusic]

I think that people hang their food because that's what the majority of people suggest. I remember reading one of LW's post many years ago about sleeping w/ his food. It got me to thinking about the reality of whether hanging was even necessary. When I began my section hike in 2000, I religously hung because of my fears. Then shortly thereafter, I took LW's advice and haven't looked back. I have NEVER had a problem w/ anything trying to get in my tent for food. I realize now after many years of sleeping w/ my food that my original fears were unfounded. I read about today's hanging hoopla and just have to snicker, like I know some secret that most people haven't figured out yet. Take LW's advice,,, sleeping w/ your food is really no big deal, and doesn't deserve the "personal attacks" that are directed towards it. Thanks LW!

This has been my experience as well.

[flemdawg1]

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of the Ursack Bear Bag. I'm leaving Springer on April 1st and that's what I'm using. I hiked the Shenandoahs last year which also has a heavy bear population with no problem. I always used oder proof bags inside the Ursack and hung it well away from camp. You can of course also hang it from cables or poles. It's VERY simple and time saving.

I must admit, after reading about so many very experienced hikers sleeping with their food, I'm attamted to give it a try.

Miguel

The were 2 bear encounters in the Blood Mtn area while I was sectioning the 1st week of April last year.
The bear/bears climbed cables, climbed branches to pull up bags (even those using PCT), & entered Blood Mtn shelter (hikers were sleeping in the back room and left the food and packs in the front). In one of the encounters/thefts a hiker had on URsack, the bear chew and pounced on the bag untill the contents were crushed to powder. No the bear didn't get the food, but the food was an inedible mess. Like the others have said, just hike thru the container-zone and camp outside of it.

[CrumbSnatcher]

anyone ever hear of the bears getting the food bags down off the poles in SNP

[Sierra Echo]

you're excused

No, other than seeing my posts on this forum since 5/17/2010.

I've never noticed you before. Sorry!

[johnnybgood]

anyone ever hear of the bears getting the food bags down off the poles in SNP

Nope... of course I am no expert at shelter shananigans.

[mfleming]

the LONE WOLF method has never been 'defeated' on the AT. hundreds of nites sleeping with food in a tent over 25 years. PCT method this!

.............

[Big Dawg]

I've never noticed you before. Sorry!

Haha,,,, no skin off my back,,, no appology necessary. Can't say I've every noticed you here before either. Just surprised by your harsh remark towards an enlightened employee of MC.

added later....
come to think of it, I do remember you from shortly after you joined in 2010, because I commented on your "sweet" bear paw tat. How ironic,,,,

can't say I remember any of your posts tho...

Embrace the bear paw,,, snuggle w/ your food,, you won't be sorry,, and you'll look a lot less silly than slingin rope in the woods!

[rocketsocks]

.............

OK,good first bump,not bad,not badwe don't bite...most of the time.

[Odd Man Out]

I am very much intrigued by this hang vs sleep with food question. The sleep with food option is certainly attractive. On the other hand, it is quite contrary to what most people have been taught over the years. On the other hand, there are plenty of times when an idea that is contrary to conventional wisdom turns out to be superior. On the other hand, as a scientist, I find anecdotal evidence alone (i.e. "it has always worked for me") to be relatively weak. So I am looking for more support than "it has always worked for me". Is the "sleep with food" hypothesis unique to the AT? Is this method more widespread than this forum/tail? Is this discussed in the wider hiking community? Any systematic studies of this method? Enquiring minds want to know.

[flemdawg1]

Yes, in the shelter register of the Black Rock Hut.

[flemdawg1]

anyone ever hear of the bears getting the food bags down off the poles in SNP

Yes, in the shelter register of the Black Rock Hut.

[V Eight]

It might not have been on WB, but in another "sleep with" / "hang" discussion one of the
posters had made a pretty compelling argument that, East Coast Bears still believe that
possession rules.

Their argument centered around the theory that the Bears do not seem to be to interested in our food when they see us walking down the trail, and all indications here are that the Bears do not seem to be to interested in our food when people use their food bag as a pillow. No it seems that the Bears are only interested in our food when we no longer have it in our possession.

I thought it was an interesting theory. Me, sometimes I "hang" sometimes I've got a fuller
pillow. HYOH

[Bear-bait]

Hanging is the problem folks. Hanging kills bears.

And I am lumping in proper hanging with substandard, since that is the reality.

I agree with ChinMusic 100%. I just hiked the GA AT and heard numerous accounts of Bear(s) stealing food bags near Neels Gap. Whenever I investigated the issue further, I determined (after speaking with people who had their food stolen), that they did not use the PCT or counterbalance method. Rather, they simply tied off the rope to the nearest tree. The Bear(s) in this are are becoming incredibly habituated (and therefore dangerous) to humans. I saw a very large Bear, 1 mile north of Neels Gap, while eating breakfast. The Bear casually walked around me, even while I was banging loudly on my pots. Obviously, it did not care the least that there were three other large, loud humans dancing and screaming with pots and pans clanging.

The Bear(s) near Blood Mt./Neels gap are extremely smart and habituated. People really need to pay attention to the canister rule and learn to hang their food properly. In this area, I would say that sleeping with your food is also a very bad idea, since the Bear(s) do not seem to be afraid of people. I heard a story about a group of people, who after hearing a bear root around outside the shelter on Blood Mt., covered the door with a Tarp, so as to create a barrier of sorts. The Bear simply came into the shelter through the window. This is why the Forest Service instituted the new canister rules...and rightly so.

[Jack Tarlin]

Speaking from the perspective of someone who actually lives and works in Neel Gap, here's another opinion: In recent days, there have been fewer reports of food or food bag loss. Obviously, people are either being smarter about how and where they hang their food, or more likely, they are simply electing to camp in places where there have been no reported problems. Obviously, these are wise people. That being said, in light of this ongoing debate: The number of people who have reported food loss or other associated problems while their food was in their tents is, in fact, zero. People may draw their own conclusions from this....