Bear problem at Seth Warner Shelter solved?

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the Trail Conditions section for Vermont, so here it is:

I just got word that the GMC Trail Crew put a big metal box at the Seth Warner Shelter to protect food from the bear that has been terrorizing hungry campers all summer. Hopefully that will take care of the problem.

Cheers

Won't he just hold someone hostage until they open the box?

SAR-EMT40 said:

Won't he just hold someone hostage until they open the box?

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Don't laugh, I heard of that happening in the Pemi some years ago. The bear (I think they called him Brutus?) would lurk by the bear cable that was installed until hikers came to get their food...

vegematic said:

Don't laugh, I heard of that happening in the Pemi some years ago. The bear (I think they called him Brutus?) would lurk by the bear cable that was installed until hikers came to get their food...

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I had hear that Brutus would accost hikers on the trail, they would drop their packs and run, and he'd rummage through the packs. Were bear cables ever installed in the Pemi?

The High Point shelter bears in High Point State Park in New Jersey used to use a tag team approach. Mama and cubs would sneak up on the shelter during supper time via a nearby streambed and would come out at the steel bear box. The cubs would immediately head for the food box and try to open it (in case someone forgot to latch it)while Mama did a bluff charge into the shelter looking for any hikers who had their food bags out or supper cooking. Once in the shelter Mama got what she wanted.

David Metsky said:

I had hear that Brutus would accost hikers on the trail, they would drop their packs and run, and he'd rummage through the packs.

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In Yosemite, the users of this tactic are called mugger bears.

Doug

David Metsky said:

I had hear that Brutus would accost hikers on the trail, they would drop their packs and run, and he'd rummage through the packs. Were bear cables ever installed in the Pemi?

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Yes, I stayed at Desolation in the early 90s and they had cables. The shelter register was full of Brutus stories.
-vegematic

vegematic said:

Yes, I stayed at Desolation in the early 90s and they had cables. The shelter register was full of Brutus stories.
-vegematic

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That is correct before it was removed entirely they had a cable system. I remember being told this while Brutus was alive. At the old Franconia campsites they had a female bear that was causing problems and at that one they were using a combination of a bear box and the ranger would use pepperspray whenever she would show up. I also remember hearing at the rocky branch shelter #2 there was a mugger bear. He would wait until you unpacked for dinner and wander into the shelter area. People would flee and he would eat everything.

Keith

Aaah, just the stories that I want to hear before I spend a bunch of time this fall in the Pemi and surrounding areas. Of course, if a bear was to charge me while I'm eating dinner, hopefully my natural defense of emptying my bowels in terror will scare him/her away!

David Metsky said:

IWere bear cables ever installed in the Pemi?

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13 Falls had a cable system a few years ago, as well as a bear box.