Bear encounters

[RTSpoons]

A long time ago

I took my family car tenting at Durant Lake campground. We had just finished dinner and were cleaning up when a large bear wander into our camp site.

We slowly walked around our large family tent while the bear when around the other way. The wife and kids got into the car. I stood by the car and watch the bear take a bag of fruit. It when into the bushes to snack. I ran over to the table and removed one of the pans from the stove. The bear returned and began to eat out of our garage bag. I walked right pass the bear, may be ten feet away, and removed the remaining pan on the brand new coleman stove. As I walked past the dining bear, he looked up at me, so I threw the remaining pasta from the pan at him.

He happlily accepted the treat. Than he finished the garage and left.

The bear could give a damn about us. He caused no problems. He was not aggressive in the least. All he wanted was an easy meal.

 

[Maddy]

My black bear encounter occured in the Smokies so I hope it counts.

My friend and I were trying to eat our Blimpie subs in a parking lot prior to setting out on our hike. We new better than to take them with us on the trail A black bear walked out of the woods and ambled right on over. My friend jumped into the back seat of her car and I jumped into the front passenger seat. The bear climbed up on the hood of the vehicle and repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to break the front windshield with h/her paw. He then climbs up on the roof and we could hear him walking around. Back down he comes and tries to break the windshield again. I got several pics thinking they would be my last. His big face was about 1-2 feet in front of mine for way tooooooo long. For whatever reason his attempts to break the window failed. (Nissan) Just as quickly as he had come, he walked back into the woods.

We had gone to this area knowing there was a high bear population and hikers coming out had seen many bears, some crossing directly in front of them. We moved on down to the ranger station and filed a report. They were going to tag and relocate this guy in hopes that he would stay away from visitors. There are lots of warning signs instructing people to not feed bears because they become habituated to humans and over time they escalate and become aggressive. "A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR"! If you are caught feeding them you are fined $5000. They have wonderful bear proof canisters and do not allow dogs. The rangers are quite serious about protecting these big guys.

This fella left no doubt in my mind that he was the top of the food chain but when all was said and done, he did not get our Blimpie subs!

I spoke to the ranger about what he carries for food when he hikes. He takes a couple Power bars, double bagged in zip locks, and double bags the empty wrappers. He keeps them in his pack, not his pockets, and carries nothing that has distinct, appealing food odors.

We did see several others, mother and cubs, while we were in the Cade's Cove area. I have also seen one in the NH cog parking lot early evening scouting in the open trash can, and one mom with three cubs in VT crossing in front of me on RT 100 near Mt Snow. Very cute!

For those of you who would like to "hike with bears" I do not recall the name of the trail we were at when we had our encounter. I bet the rangers could tell you. I had read about it my Bear Mag.

LOVE BEARS!!!

 

[Little Rickie]

[

we found an empty shelter in the Flowed Lands

so I bravely stayed behind to tend to the fire. As I sat there poking the fire and rolling logs to encourage a bigger blaze,

I took him at his word

Can't trust those rangers, he forgot to tell you fires aren't allowed at Flow Lands.

 

[bubba]

Do bears raid in the rain?

Some fun stories!

Phil, not sure what you're looking for, but maybe this helps round out your list. A few years ago my 46 hiking partner and I were closing in on my last two peaks - and he agreed to re-hike Haystack with me so we would be ready for our finish on Marshall later that summer. One the way up from western NY - I remembered that we were supposed to have a cannister (the law was just about to go into effect). We stopped at Gander Mtn in Syr - but what they had wasn't a decent one... and we hit EMS/Lake Placid just as they were closing -- they told us to come back at 10:00am the next day when they opened (believe that?). So, no big deal -- we had been tying up our bags very successully for many years and I was $50 to the good for not having to buy a cannister yet!

It seemed a bit of a homecoming as we hadn't been in the Garden Parking area or on those trails for years. We had been busy hiking in other ADK wilderness areas picking up other peaks. We stayed in the designated camping area up from Johns Brook. I'm having trouble putting together the details of how the trip played out, but we did Haystack and stayed over that night in the camping area. We were lone campers (maybe mid-week) and when we decided to hang our bags... we found out that being in a high-use area was very different than our recent outings -- literally no "good" places to hang our bags. All of the branches were too high to effectively reach on mature trees, so we finally decided on a smaller tree that was closer to a cluster of smaller trees. It was about the best we could find, and certainly not up to our high standards of expert hangs! Then again... what were the chances?? We use a counter weight method and actually had small bags - I chose to hang my backpack's removable fanny-pack top as it already had candy and PB&J in it already.

We hit the hay just as it started to rain that evening. I had placed my backpack on the ground, leaning on a tree with a ponco covering it. We felt good that the rain would certainly ward off any thoughts of bear activity. As a matter of fact... we challenged our knowledge about the subject before we fell asleep.

Next morning... yeah, you know it! A night visitor had climbed up the small tree (there were very visible claw marks) and grabbed my fannypack that evidently came within his reach. Luckily when he pulled it, he lodged the counterweight pack higher up in the tree where it bound up in the higher branches. So his evening feast was merely a snack of candy and PB&J!

Naturally, he didn't use the zipper so my good backpack's top fannypack now had rips on two sides! Also... turns out I really should have given some more thought to what I was doing - my car keys were in the fanny pack along with some money! Duh... I was a bit cocky about our bear-bag hanging ability to even consider what I was hoisting up the tree. Evidently bears have no use for money or a Grand Caravan get away vehicle!

Interestingly... my backpack had not been touched! Their noses really guide them directly to food. And, rain or no rain a hungry bear will pay a visit. Our skillful hanging techiques are now only memories... we have the obligatory cannisters lovingly in our possession. Bear-bag hanging skills have taken the same road as my trusty Sierra mug for slurping fresh spring waters!

 

[bubba]

A couple other incidents

My brother and his hiking bud were section hiking the AT through NC. They decided to overnight somewhere (off-trail? designated area?). They set out to find some downed wood for a campfire prior to setting up camp. As they combed the surrounding area a couple of bears decided they were ready for dinner and proceeded to help themselves to the packs left unattended on the ground! My understanding is that they could do no more than watch the two bears rip through their packs and devour all of their food.

I saw the pack... it was masterfully ripped open - pocket by pocket. Containers were bit into to determine if the contents were worthy, etc. Really some sight to see the destroyed pack.

Also... another interesting no-bear encounter was the experience of my first-time overnight in VT (six/seven years ago). I stayed at the Battell shelter. I saw a metal-can contraption hooked up on the front beam of the lean-to style shelter and asked the other campers what it was. Turns out it was a food hanging hook. The overturned tuna cans had a hook in the middle... you could hang your pack and the local rodents weren't able to navigate to your pack. Oh... interesting, BUT what about BEARS!! Nothing like hanging your food right over your sleeping quarters! I was told they never have any problems. Amazing! So all of the skilled bears swim over to the ADKs!!

 

[Explorer Editor]

Thanks

I appreciate all the stories that have been posted. If there are others, please post them. btw, the Showtime interview has been postponed. I'll let you know if/when it happens.

 

[moonrock]

In September 2004, my friend DNAgent was finishing his 46 (Cliff, Redfield, Allen) and we 3 were full-packing an ambitious 5-day triangle (in Floyd blowdown !!) to that end.
Night 1, at lean-to on the north side of Flowed Lands, we packed our food into our Garcia Canisters and bedded down. Another, solo hiker shared space with us and used the old (tattered) cable hang.
At 6 AM, a LARGE black bear (the first I'd ever seen in 19 years of packing in the HP) showed up and made for the cable hang. He didn't get the food; he DID get the 1/2 liter Lexan of "primo" California Madeira wine, which my friend had brought along to toast his # 46 !!!

So we improvised. And crawled on our bellies. Then after the trip we drank lotsa wine - in a classy Schroon Lake (?) restaurant

MR

 

[Aesop74]

One Bear Encounter and One Sighting

My first bear encounter took place on the AT near Delaware Water Gap State Park in PA near the NJ border. It occurred in May 2005. My friend Bill and I were hiking along the AT heading East towards NJ near Mt. Minsi when a Black Bear came crashing through the woods about 50 years in front of us. It stopped in the middle of the trail and just looked at us. I told Bill to back up slowly. As he did the bear false rushed us and got another 10 years closer. At this point I got my bear whistle out. I blew hard into the whistle which at first caused the bear to just stand still. I blew a second time and the bear took off running down the hill towards our left crashing through downed branches. My buddy was freaked.

The 2nd time was more of a sighting. We just got done hiking Balsam Lake Mountain and Graham Mt. in the Catskills and were returning to the parking lot. We thought we heard something in the woods just off the parking area. When we got in the car to leave the bear came out of the brush along the side of the road and jogged in front of my car for about 10 seconds until crossing the road left to right and heading up into the woods. We just sort of laughed about it.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

... a Black Bear came crashing through the woods about 50 years in front of us. It stopped in the middle of the trail and just looked at us. I told Bill to back up slowly. As he did the bear false rushed us and got another 10 years closer.

That must have taken "yards" off your life!
BTW what's a bear whistle?

 

[woodstrider]

Bear Encounters in the Adirondacks

My first bear encounter was in the Adirondacks, some 12 years ago. I have had many since then and only lost (some) food once.

After driving up to Tahawas one Friday after work, we had hiked in to Livingston Point late at night, arriving there like 1 AM. As we were tired and it was so late and I didn't think that we would properly bear bag the food anyway-so, I made the not too bright suggestion that we keep the food in our tent and use it as a pillow. Now- before I start getting all those censoring remarks just remember this was before the recent changes in the High Peaks and it worked out, kinda.
Anyway. I got in first and promptly fell asleep. But I was woken a few moments later when I "detected" some one walking around the tent. Half awake I mumbled something to my partner about settling down and letting me sleep. ( For C-----"s Sake, get in here and get to sleep already). My partner sat up and said. I'M in... (...the tent already and trying to sleep myself, what's all the hoopla about). It was then that I noticed the bear in the door way of the tent. I am told that I screamed. I know that I fainted dead away. But when I woke up the bear was gone- and my partner never even saw it! In the morning we found out that the group up in the leanto had lost all their food (and even pots and stove) as they had not hung up their food well enough. (well it was high enough off the ground, but what about that large snag underneath?). So, I guess I was right, because we didn't loose a peanut. Also- I guess I have a world class scream- frightening enough to scare off a hungry bear.

Another time in the 5 Ponds area I hung my food well up in a large hemlock tree and then pitched my tent under that same tree as an extra precaution. A friend was camped 20 feet away in a bivy-sack. I also woke up in the middle of the night after something got my attention (claws on bark). A small bear (second year) had climbed up the hemlock and was now sliding down fast. He ran right past my tent and then my friend's head. My friend never even woke up until after the bear had gone crashing throught the under growth. Oh, by the way our food was OK.

The one time I lost any food was on a trip where on night one- after a long travel day and arrival at my first night's camp after dark- I hung the food too low and that time the bear got the bag out of the tree. But I was under the tree and I woke out immediately and had a merry chase after my food. The bear ran away, spreading packets of food out behind him and I gave chase in my te shirt and hiking pole. we ran around the campsite in a circle several times and it was a race. The bear - snaffing up food packets- and me scrambling to gather them up. When it was over the bear had eaten all my crackers and I got everything else so the trip would continue on.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Woodstrider - Interesting story.... BUT I believe the point is to put your food far away from you and other campers for the safety of the people, vs. sleep on, next to, or under it to protect the food. I really don't mean to be a wise a**, but the bear encounters you described were all your fault. You have been lucky so far.

 

[ADKdremn]

I'd hate to see the bear climb the tree and then take a lunge for the food bag (which we've all heard about happening) and then land on your tent with you in it!

 

[Maddy]

I'd hate to see the bear climb the tree and then take a lunge for the food bag (which we've all heard about happening) and then land on your tent with you in it!

Now that would be a really GREAT bear story!
You might even get your very own reality show........

 

[woodstrider]

Algonquin Bob...

Comments like yours are hardly helpful and are the reason that some people don't share their stories. Stories serve many purposes- one of which is to educate.

But I am glad that my story could serve the purpose of helping to bolster up your sagging ego.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Comments like yours are hardly helpful and are the reason that some people don't share their stories. Stories serve many purposes- one of which is to educate.

But I am glad that my story could serve the purpose of helping to bolster up your sagging ego.

I don't quite understand your comment, or your hostile attitude. My comment was indeed meant to be educational while pointing out a fundamental error in your method of protecting food which created a major safety issue.

 

[The Hikers]

When we finally got to try the ADK's this summer we were rather surprised at the amount of concern about bears. I guess the situation has gotten out of hand from feeding through the years. Hiking in Maine, NH and Vermont we never had trouble from bears, although raccoons were a force to be dealt with. Hiking Camel's Hump in Vermont we sang and banged our poles scaring a large black bear up a tree. Hikers had been bushwacking around this bear who had stationed herself on the trail.We found our singing bad enough to scare a bear and clear the trail.

 

[Raymond]

We usually joke that my ladyfriend, Susan’s, singing will bring rain.

There was an item in yesterday’s Boston Globe about a homeowner who drove three raccoons out of his chimney by playing a radio tuned to a talk station at them. Smoking them out didn’t work, talk radio did.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

When we finally got to try the ADK's this summer we were rather surprised at the amount of concern about bears. I guess the situation has gotten out of hand from feeding through the years.

Many years ago (a few decades, I think), trash was routinely dumped in piles/pits, and that was the acceptable way of doing things just about everywhere. The bears loved it, and people got to watch them at some distance while they foraged on the trash piles. That evolved into the way most areas now manage food and trash, which is to play keep-away with the forest animals by hanging food/trash in trees or using bearproof canisters, and carrying out all remaining food and garbage. Not everyone adhered to those rules, and many of those who did placed their bear bags in locations that bears could still access. The bears still love that, even though they sometimes have to work harder for a meal. Now, our bear viewing is done at closer range while the animals are grabbing poorly hung bags, trying to break into canisters, or simply approaching campers at meal time. The latter is not a fun way to see wildlife, but we can't do much about that. So far, I've been lucky enough to not have had any bear encounters anywhere in the back country. I've been using bearproof food canisters for probably 6 years now, and also place those canisters well away from camp or any hiking trail or game trail, to reduce the chance of a bear finding my food. I once attended a seminar on camping in bear country, presented by the well-known canoeist and camper, Cliff Jacobson. He has much good advice on this topic, and I suggest reading some of his books as well. Works for me.

 

[Seeker]

AGBob--you are aware of Yellow-Yellow? The ADK bear who managed to break into a bear canister? Bears are very smart and learn quickly (see the Yosemite footage of bears who learned how to jump in the top of a VW Beetle knowing it would pop open the doors). Put a White Mountain bear in the ADKs where people use canisters and hang their food according and you will see a hungry bear. Put an ADK bear in the Whites where people regularly hang their food and you will see one happy bruin.

What works well in one area won't work in another. Go to Yosemite and EVERY trailhead has bear boxes because those bears know that cars often equal food!

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Yellow-Yellow is nationally famous! I have a Bear Vault Solo (the model she knows how to open). Luckily, she hasn't come along while I was using it, most recently, in the Lake Colden-Flowed Land corridor in September.