[pct-l] Bear canister confusion

[jmayer@rochester.rr.com (Jim Mayer)]

I'm almost afraid to ask... but how does the NPS get the bear into the self
addressed, postage paid, envelope?

-- Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: "Reynolds, WT" <reynolds@iLAN.com>
To: "'Jim Mayer'" <jmayer@rochester.rr.com>; "Karl Brandt"
<brandt@snf.stanford.edu>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 7:02 PM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Bear canister confusion


> Karl-
> Jim's advice is very good. However it is wise to learn to distinguish
> between a bear and a mountain lion.
>
> Tom
> PS: Remember to include a self addressed, postage paid envelope so you can
> get your bear back when the NFS is done with it.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Mayer [mailto:jmayer@rochester.rr.com]
> Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 3:56 PM
> To: Karl Brandt; pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear canister confusion
>
>
> Ok,
>
> Let me see if I can help.  The thing to remember is that wild mammals are
> much, much, more flexible than people are.  For example, look at the
> ridiculously small holes that mice can squeeze through.  It isn't safe to
> assume that just because a two hundred pound person won't fit in a bear
> cannister that you can't get a bear in.
>
> The other thing to remember is that bears, particularly once they've
become
> habituated to human food, will do almost ANYTHING to get at it.  Recall
some
> of the stories from this list about what bears have done to get at hanging
> bags!
>
> The key point to successful use of a bear cannister is to keep your food
in
> it when you are hiking.  That way the cannister SMELLS of food, and the
bear
> will go to almost any lengths to squeeze itself in.  It's a bit like the
old
> monkey trap made out of a cocanut with a small hole cut in the side.
> Anyway, once the bear is in the cannister, you (quickly) pop the lid back
> on, fasten the screws, and mail the bear to NPS headquarters in
Washington,
> D.C., for evaluation.  Make sure that you send the cannister by ground
> transport as postal regulations prohibit mailing bears by air.
>
> It's a simple procedure that I have successfully employed on every trip
I've
> taken on the PCT.
>
> -- Jim
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Karl Brandt" <brandt@snf.stanford.edu>
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 6:19 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] Bear canister confusion
>
>
> >
> > So I'm confused about how these bear canisters work. Aren't they too
small
> > to fit a bear? Besides, how would you coax a hungry bear to get inside
one
> > in the first place? :-)
> >
> > -Karl
> >
> > *********************************************************************
> > Karl Brandt
> > http://people.ucsc.edu/~kbrandt/
> >
> >
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