Hanging your food

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dvbl

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I'm sure the vast majority of people here know how to properly hang food when camping in the backcountry. But for those who don't, please read how or ask someone how. Especially in bear country, not knowing this can be very dangerous to those camping with or near you.

Here's a picture I took at about 6am this past Sunday. In order to protect the guilty, I won't mention what trail or tentsite I was at. My walking stick is about 4 feet tall, so you'll notice the supermarket plastic bag is about 6 feet off the ground. The angle of the picture doesn't show it, but the bag is hung about 3 inches from the trunk of the tree. About 30 feet down the trail, there was another bag (this one was a backcountry food bag) about 6 feet off the ground, bungee-corded to the tree trunk. Sorry, no picture of that one.

Please share your knowledge with those who might need it. Let's all stay safe so we can keep playing in the woods.

How not to hang your food
 
dvbl said:
I'm sure the vast majority of people here know how to properly hang food when camping in the backcountry.
Click to expand...

I'd say that there is *NO* way to hang a bear bag properly. A determined bear will get your food if you hang it in a tree.

Use a bear vault.
 
Tom Rankin said:
I'd say that there is *NO* way to hang a bear bag properly. A determined bear will get your food if you hang it in a tree.

Use a bear vault.
Click to expand...

Hanging bags worked well for quite some time and is still effective in areas that don't have overuse/problem bears issues. Of course this assumes proper hanging unlike the bag in the photo.
 
Tom Rankin said:
I'd say that there is *NO* way to hang a bear bag properly. A determined bear will get your food if you hang it in a tree.

Use a bear vault.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I understand your point, but I don't really agree. Anyway, that's not the point I was making. The point I was making was...just as I was educated (and am still being educated) about things I need help with, I am simply trying to show through this picture that we shouldn't be putting out the welcome mat for bears, squirrels, mice, etc. Let's at least make them work for it.
 
dvbl said:
Yeah, I understand your point, but I don't really agree. Anyway, that's not the point I was making. The point I was making was...just as I was educated (and am still being educated) about things I need help with, I am simply trying to show through this picture that we shouldn't be putting out the welcome mat for bears, squirrels, mice, etc. Let's at least make them work for it.
Click to expand...
Agreed. :D
 
Thanks for posting this...I in fact will be section hiking part of the App Trail in NJ this coming weekend and my book says the area is a "high bear" area and to "hang food". I bought a bag http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...6&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1

and intend on using it..including sun tan lotion, bug spray, and anything else a nosey bear might find fun to put into his/her mouth. not bringin much food or supplies for that matter as its only an overnight, but not taking chance since this is a very populated bear area..

Man in that pic any creature that can climb is in that bag too easily..

correct me if im wrong but it should be higher and place well away from the tree "base" or trunk itself???

Thanks again.

M
 
I usually hang my pack and/or food sack even for a five minute break as I have had mice and chipmunks waste no time and have started to chew through (mice) and jumped right in (chips). Bears? In remote areas in eastern ADKs where they know more hunters than hikers I hang stuff suspended from two of the skinniest tall trees I can find and pee under the spot! High peaks and where required always use a canister.
 
The correct method of hanging food only works where there are appropriate trees. Jack Pines seem to fit the bill nicely. I was once a black belt food hanger but when it came time to hang food in the ADK's I turned in my black belt for a black bear vault. Such a PITA finding the right trees and going through the rigamarole! On a recent trip my wife and I submerged our food. You have to put a lot of heavy rocks into the stuff sack but it worked for us.

Camping in the CDN rockies above treeline but below bear/wolverine etc. line I used to divide my food into multiple stashes, spread it around and hope for the best. I was very lucky. I never lost anything.

BTW, what is the point of this thread? To show people what not to do?
 
I've hung my food like that before. I don't see what's dangerous about it. If a bear shows up, he gets an easy meal and I get hungry the next day. It's better than storing food in a tent.
 
Neil said:
...BTW, what is the point of this thread? To show people what not to do?
Click to expand...


Well, for your benefit, I'll quote a few lines from the original post:

"I'm sure the vast majority of people here know how to properly hang food when camping in the backcountry. But for those who don't, please read how or ask someone how. Especially in bear country, not knowing this can be very dangerous to those camping with or near you...Please share your knowledge with those who might need it. Let's all stay safe so we can keep playing in the woods."

I hope that helps you.
 
jfb said:
I've hung my food like that before. I don't see what's dangerous about it. If a bear shows up, he gets an easy meal and I get hungry the next day. It's better than storing food in a tent.
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness, I hope you're just kidding. If not, I don't even know where to begin. Please read a book (for example, Bear Attacks by Stephen Herrero) or talk to someone who knows. Soon! Please!
 
dvbl said:
Oh my goodness, I hope you're just kidding. If not, I don't even know where to begin. Please read a book (for example, Bear Attacks by Stephen Herrero) or talk to someone who knows. Soon! Please!
Click to expand...


Yeah isnt that like inviting guests over for dinner and then not having anything to eat? Then they go looking for something or SOMEONE to eat...not good...


I think this thread is important I think we get lulled into thinking it "can't happen to me" and get lazy..

Can't EVER hurt to be reminded.

M
 
dvbl said:
I hope that helps you.
Click to expand...
Actually, it won't help me one bit :) but if it helps Buster Bear from getting shot then it's a great thread.

Incidentally, Herrero's book is the Bible for anyone veturing into Grizzly country. Rather gruesome, he interviews his "witnesses" from their hospital beds.
 
Although I see this photo and read discussion of how NOT to hang your food, how about posting "how to hang your food" for those who don't already know?

I have mastered my skills in this area with proven bear attempts and have passed every instance.

The method I use was instructed to me by Yosemite Rangers, but important to note, all Yosemite areas now require canisters.

2 bag equal weight method:
Need:
30ft of 1/8"-3/16" braided rope (I use spectra line)
2 stuff sacks equal volume

*Find a tree where limb is clear off ground 20ft (15ft can work)
*Limb must be less than 2" round at 8-10ft from trunk.
*Separate food into 2 equal weights in 2 stuff sacks.
*Tie line to one bag
*Toss rope over limb at 8-10ft from trunk
*Haul bag to top of limb
*Reach as high as possible and tie 2nd bag
*Coil remainder line to 2nd bag
*Find a 10 ft stick and push 2nd bag up, while 1st bag drops
*Balance each bag at same height
*Completed hang should be at least 10ft off ground and 8-10ft down from limb
It is suggested to tie some pots to the bags which will clang & rattle if animals are attempting a steal.
This is one noise I heard a few times! :eek:

I did this routine for an entire summer in the Sierras with no problems and true tested.
That was a long time ago, before the smartest bears in the world figured out how to get the cubs to "sky dive" for the bags, which has made this method useless out in Yosemite.
Now the big joke has this method labeled the "Yosemite Pinata" :)

So now the big scene is to watch bears play soccer with the bearvaults!
Last year one particular bear had learned to unscrew the lids by sitting on it and turning!

I suspect it will be a long time before these lessons are picked up by bears in the east. So I still prefer to hang'em unless in restricted areas for cans or until I get robbed!
 
dvbl said:
Here's a picture I took at about 6am this past Sunday. In order to protect the guilty, I won't mention what trail or tentsite I was at.
[/URL]
Click to expand...

c'mon dude, who are you protecting? :rolleyes: a friend? :D is this a skeleton in your closet? :eek: :eek: were you paid off by the campers with the bad hang? ;) inquiring minds wanna know! :)

where'd you snap the pix?
 
Jeff-B said:
So now the big scene is to watch bears play soccer with the bearvaults!
Last year one particular bear had learned to unscrew the lids by sitting on it and turning!
Click to expand...
The other kind (Garcia?) are more difficult, since you need a coin to open them. Bears do not have pockets, so it it is more difficult for them to get these.... No place to store their money.
 
Jeff-B said:
Last year one particular bear had learned to unscrew the lids by sitting on it and turning!
Click to expand...
If you aren't careful about how you screw the lid on a Bear Vault then the little tab gets outside the nub that prevents it from being unscrewed. I'm pretty sure the bear couldn't unscrew the lid if it was on proper, but anything is possible.
Bear canisters are easy and you can sit on them. No more Outside Olympic Events for me trying to get the right rope over the right branch of the right tree.
However, if I had to now and what I used to do was the PCT Method, described further down in this link.
 
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