[pct-l] feeding the bears

[ted@nidlink.com (Ted Rupp)]

My experience is that bears are very opportunistic and once they have found
a possible food source, they will check out everything that may be edible at
that point, hence the tasting of the coffee and tea once they got into your
pack.  My  thinking is that certain foods (i.e. pasta, etc.) do not attract
bears.  If this is so, then only the attractant foods would need to be
placed into bear cannisters or otherwise protected.  The non-attractants
could be safely stored outside the pack or by hanging.  (With the risk that
the doing this with the wrong items will result in the possible loss of all
items)

And I fully agree with your statement that trying to do a long distance hike
without sweets is beyond imagination.  In teaching climbing, we often refer
to such items as hard candy as "mood enhancers" to help make it through the
tough parts.  And my personal preference is definitely for a snickers bar
over a power bar anyday.  The calories per pound for snickers, gorp and
other such is a definite advantage.



-----Original Message-----
From:	pct-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Ginny & Jim Owen
Sent:	Monday, January 22, 2001 10:35 AM
To:	pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject:	[pct-l] feeding the bears

I don't know that it makes much difference what you have in your pack.  When
the bear got our food on the AT, it tasted everything in my food bag.  The
only thing it rejected, after a small bite out of each, was the coffee and
tea.

Besides, I can't imagine trying to to a long hike without anything sweet --
chocolate, granola bars, cereal, cookies -- the most calories in the
smallest package - they're a necessity for a long hike.
Ginny


_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

_______________________________________________
PCT-L mailing list
PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l