Bear bagging question was Re: [at-l] How to help a newbie?

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

This thread raises an important issue that gets too little attention. 
There is more to good food protection that just hanging it in trees or
on the Shelter poles/pulley systems.  I don't use "bear bags" because I
think the hanging takes care of the need for some supposedly
bear/bomb-proof bag, and those bags are a bit heavy; HOWEVER, I DO think
it is important that you give some thought to sealing your food in terms
of odor potential; in that regard, my method is to use ziploc bags and
then my food bag is one of the OR sealcoat stuff sacks that come with
the waterbag type closure - like that used in dry bags for whitewater. 
OR makes an awesome line of these bags with waterproofing in mind, but
they were a hot item with a humber of us on the Trail last year - NOC
and other outfitter places sell them.  Using one as a food bag, with the
closure done right, makes what you hang as close to odor free as
possible.

Whatever system you use, keep in mind that the first, basic idea is to
not attract animals to the area where you are sleeping; that means
trying to eliminate odors, food spills, and dirty dish water just dumped
on the ground at or near your shelter/campsite.

hike on!

thru-thinker

Slyatpct@aol.com wrote:
> 
> I still don't get it.  If you know bears hang out in trees, if you know
> others, bait bears by hanging food in trees, why would you hang YOUR food in
> trees?
> 
> Another question, should bear baiting be outlawed?  Accommodating bears with
> human food doesn't seem like a very good practice.
> 
> Sly
> 
> > Bear bagging...
> > In September up in Maine, they hunt 'bear-over-bait'. That's when a
> > 'hunter'
> > plants smelly goodies (month old fermented bakery products like glazed
> > doughnuts and blueberry muffins work great) for weeks in bear habitat, and
> > then later shoots the bears that have been lured. Sometimes they hang the
> > yummy goodies from trees.
> > I bear bag my all my food and kitchen stuff. A loooooooong way away from my
> > tent <g>
> 
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