[at-l] Where do you put your packs at night?

[stephensadams@hotmail.com (Steve Adams)]

Bob,

Reference your post, dated September 26, 2001, where you advised "I ... hung 
my food bag in the shelter (and) was chastised ... that hanging ... food in 
the shelter ... would invite a visit by the local bear population. At the 
time the bears were not even out of hibernation ..."

Black Bears in the eastern U.S. are not considered to hibernate throughout 
winter.  They will find a private place, doze for a few days, awaken, 
emerge, forage for food, then return to sleep some more.  This is repeated 
throughout winter.  This may vary in places, within the eastern U.S., 
depending upon food availability and weather.

I would also be concerned, hanging food in a shelter will, over the long 
run, attract other opportunists as well.  I will long remember a very 
insistent possum who could not understand I didn't want his/her company 
inside my sleeping bag on a cold, rainy, and windy night I wasn't using a 
tent.  (Hissing dissuades possums; just remain vigilant and repeat whenever 
it returns.)

Happy hiking.  Steve

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