Black Bears and Canned Food

[bachand]

If I brought some canned food into the woods does anyone think a black bear could smell the food inside the can?

 

[Oldsmores]

I don't think they could smell it, but if they find it some other way they can get into it!

 

[snowshoe]

They wont get scent of canned food. They are sealed very well, thats why canned food last for so long. Remenber canned food is a little heavy to pack and dont forget the can opener.

 

[percious]

Even canned foods bears will try and get into. That said, when we had our food stolen by the bears (first and last time) The only thing we had left was canned food, but even some of the cans had teeth punctured. We figured the bears left the cans alone because they had so many other easily eaten goodies to work with. Also untouched: baby carrots. I would say hang your cans, and put other food in a bear container. Better safe then sorry.

-percious

 

[sardog1]

Bears cannot smell the contents of a sealed can (otherwise your food would go bad from bacterial action on the contents.)

However, they will bite sealed cans to get at the contents, once they learn to recognize them. It's not much of a leap in logic for them from (a) open can with yummy remnants inside to (b) sealed can with even more goodies to get. I watched this as a kid in MN.

 

[Mark]

...
Also untouched: baby carrots.
...

I see a common pattern here. Surround your food stores with baby carrots and the bears will leave your food alone. ;-)

 

[carole]

Bears also like books. My son still has the one he was reading with the teeth marks right through it!