Probably overly concerned about Bears...

[not_possible]

I know you said don't ask, but what were you doing around that buck that got you hurt? I've had a few of them square off with me in the woods during the rut, but none of them have ever charged me, they just stood their ground as I walked by. The rut does have some benefits though, the last buck to get near me during the rut is in my freezer .

The ex's weird parents are key to that story, they "rescued" a baby deer that was hit by a car and kept it. It just stayed around and even inside their trailer(and my ex wondered why I never wanted to hang out at her place)...not even a "might be a redneck" family just straight up redneck(even had a story in the local paper about it). Basically my car was parked there since we went out in my ex's Civic, got back that night and before I could get out the passenger side I was rammed back in the seat. So I grabbed the antlers with my left hand while kicking it trying to get my knife out of my pocket and after a few seconds it backed off, but I had a 1/8" or more deep gash about 1 1/2" long in the palm of my hand. Of course I had my Glock 29 in the glove box of my car so if we were in it instead the story would have had a more gratifying ending and I'd have ate more deer cubed steak that year. Her parents still tried to say I provoked it. Sorry to get off topic, I said don't ask lol, but it is a unique story and in hindsight after about a month for my hand to heal it became laughable.

[SOLcreature]

After evaluating all, I am going to take the canister, for the mice and peace of mind, and the nylon case that can be hung only sets me back about 3.5 oz. I believe this puts my pack weight at about 13.6lbs minus my clothes and food, so I think I am still going to weigh in pretty good. I badly want to shave that extra 2.5lbs but I already bought the thing so, what the heck. Might make a nice privy if nothing else! Thanks again everyone! Very insightful feedback, I love this forum!

[R1ma]

Unless you are hanging around your kill site after hunting, worry more about west nile.

I'm most worried about Lyme disease

The only reason I'd use a bear canister would be when required in the Sierra.

[dla]

Hello everyone! This is my first big hike and I am just going to be honest, my only true fear, is running into a hungry black bear. I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back (yes I know the risks of backpacking with them) so fighting one off is unlikely and I don't want to A. Be mauled or B. Have my food stolen. I am not entirely thru hiking but I am beginning on May 4th with a goal of reaching midway NY by end of the summer, and I am hiking alone. I am really trying to focus on being as light as possible so I really do not want to carry a Bear Container but I am looking now at the Garcia: http://www.backcountrygear.com/backp...FQ6ynQodyEoA7w because I would rather have the peace-of-mind when sleeping in a hammock. This will also be my first hammock trip so I am a bit concerned about the thought of looking like a hanging food bag! And the more I am reading I am finding that everyone is recommending sleeping with their food because more and more bear are figuring out the hanging method, and making off with food bags. I was raised outdoors, and know how to leave no trace, but I was raised in an area with no black bear. Since I am going through the area I keep hearing the most about bear activity (GA/NC) I am starting to get more concerned. So I guess, are my fears legitimate, and is it really necessary to carry one of these big bear canisters to be safer? Anyone encountered a bear while hammocking?

Get a can of bear spray. It won't run afoul of the law, doesn't cost or weigh much and has pretty decent stats against black bears. A lot better than nothing. Read up on how to spot predatory behavior in a bear - contrary to Animal-hugger-forum-think black bears do try to munch people from time to time. Although predatory attacks are the minority, human-conditioned bears will knock a person around over an argument about food. Bear spray gives you solid defensive option, and it works on 2-legged problems as well.

[speedbump]

Ursack is a good option, I lost my food once to rodents, so the ursak is good for bears and rodents. Weight is 8 oz

Hello everyone! This is my first big hike and I am just going to be honest, my only true fear, is running into a hungry black bear. I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back (yes I know the risks of backpacking with them) so fighting one off is unlikely and I don't want to A. Be mauled or B. Have my food stolen. I am not entirely thru hiking but I am beginning on May 4th with a goal of reaching midway NY by end of the summer, and I am hiking alone. I am really trying to focus on being as light as possible so I really do not want to carry a Bear Container but I am looking now at the Garcia: http://www.backcountrygear.com/backp...FQ6ynQodyEoA7w because I would rather have the peace-of-mind when sleeping in a hammock. This will also be my first hammock trip so I am a bit concerned about the thought of looking like a hanging food bag! And the more I am reading I am finding that everyone is recommending sleeping with their food because more and more bear are figuring out the hanging method, and making off with food bags. I was raised outdoors, and know how to leave no trace, but I was raised in an area with no black bear. Since I am going through the area I keep hearing the most about bear activity (GA/NC) I am starting to get more concerned. So I guess, are my fears legitimate, and is it really necessary to carry one of these big bear canisters to be safer? Anyone encountered a bear while hammocking?

[Fredt4]

I was at the Blood Mt. Shelter in 2011 when the bear came around. He got the other 3 thru-hikers food bags (actually two hanging and one during the night from the front room, we were all sleeping in the back room). He didn't get mine because I slept with it.

Simply said all food bags hanging are d) all of the above (poorly hung, too low & wrong branch).

No bear has ever attacked an AT thru-hiker therefore the statistics are zero, not true for the other above mentioned possible hazzards except for shark attacks.

I used the U-sack but only because of critters (mice, chipmunks & squirrels).

Only had my food taken once (by two legged critters at a hostel).

Would recommend bear spray if you hitch to town.

Bear canisters are only need of you will be leaving your food alone (such as in a food bag hanging from a tree).

[MuddyWaters]

Go take a short 3-4 day hike, you will get over your fear of black bears.
All they want, is a free meal. They are basically a giant raccoon.
They need to eat almost non-stop, and dont have access to high calorie foods , except by way of hikers.

Hammock hangers have been bumped and "mouthed" by bears though.
The bear is just trying to figure out what it is

[GreenTurtle]

Go take a short 3-4 day hike, you will get over your fear of black bears.

Well, some people might take longer than that. =) But it's true--with experience, you get a better sense in what the real dangers in backcountry are--and bears don't even make my top ten list.

-- GT

[staehpj1]

Get a can of bear spray. It won't run afoul of the law, doesn't cost or weigh much and has pretty decent stats against black bears.

Different strokes but carrying an extra 11 ounces and spending $45 for what I consider an irrational fear seems excessive to me.

A lot better than nothing.

In black bear country I disagree. I wouldn't typically even bother in grizzly country, but I can at at least see that.

In places that I have been that bears are the most habituated to humans and therefore the most likely to be encountered, bear spray isn't even allowed. Yosemite comes to mind as does Sequoia, and Kings Canyon.

[Chaco Taco]

Id be more worried about getting poison ivy or lyme. Get a decent food bag that will seal up good and you will all set. Dry Sacks work well.

[SOLcreature]

Yep, and he acted like the majority are saying... "A big raccoon" lol. Thanks for sharing the video!

[Odd Man Out]

Ursack is a good option, I lost my food once to rodents, so the ursak is good for bears and rodents. Weight is 8 oz

I have read that Cuben Fiber food sacks are supposedly rodent resistant. Does anyone know of good data to support this?

[SOLcreature]

Figured I would update this thread as well, I have changed my mind. I have been doing more and more looking into my ungrounded "fear" of bears and it is ridiculous. However my "fear" of getting my food stolen by one is not ungrounded. I reduced myself to no bear spray, and no more canister in lieu of this handy-looking sack (that better WORK!) http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/outsakul_paypal.html and the good old fashioned PCT hanging method. So much cheaper on the budget, leaves me almost 2lbs lighter, and the critters shouldn't be able to get into that one. Only thing I gotta worry about according to their website is ravens... and I don't think many ravens are about in the wee evening hours on the AT. If anyone has ever used this outsak bag on the AT please let me know how it worked for you, if not, you will certainly hear it from me soon enough!

[HikerMom58]

Great news SOLcreature!!... thanks for updating us. We don't get good feedback from OP's a lot of the time. You will get a lot of support for hanging your food properly. I agree with it, 100%. I'm sure someone will speak to using the outsak bag.

Happy Hiking!!

[SOLcreature]

Thank you! I try not to be the ill-mannered invasive species

[Nytro]

Hopefully I dont ever have to use it but for a piece of mind I bought a canister of bear pepper spray with a holster. Up near me there is a large mountain biking trail in West Milford. The day I was going to bike they closed to park do to an aggravated mother bear that mauled a man walking his dog. Even Jack Hannah carries it and used it while in yellowstone. When I camp use a bear bag that I hang up on a tree a little bit away from my site.

[hikerboy57]

For the past 6 weeks i slept with my food without incident from bears or mice. apparently there was no wildlife this year due to the budget cuts."i use lopsak odor proof bags and dont cook or eat near my tent.

[SouthernPride]

I was planning on bringing some Jack Links on the trip with me......should I worry much about Sasquatch????

[TheYoungOne]

Figured I would update this thread as well, I have changed my mind. I have been doing more and more looking into my ungrounded "fear" of bears and it is ridiculous. However my "fear" of getting my food stolen by one is not ungrounded. I reduced myself to no bear spray, and no more canister in lieu of this handy-looking sack (that better WORK!) http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/outsakul_paypal.html and the good old fashioned PCT hanging method. So much cheaper on the budget, leaves me almost 2lbs lighter, and the critters shouldn't be able to get into that one. Only thing I gotta worry about according to their website is ravens... and I don't think many ravens are about in the wee evening hours on the AT. If anyone has ever used this outsak bag on the AT please let me know how it worked for you, if not, you will certainly hear it from me soon enough!

That is an interesting concept, a bag made out of chain mail. The price and weight also seems very reasonable.