Do you hang your food in Colorado?

[Jtelarkin08]

I just realized this is something i have not thought about. When your on a elk hunt in say Southern Colorado where there are black bears do you hang your food? What about if your camping up high where your in some scrub brush but not many good hanging trees?

 

[COlineman78]

I don't camp above treeline, so can't really answer that one, but yes I do hang my food here. That being said, I find myself being more lazy and lackadaisical about it than if I were in Griz country. However, while you may not have to worry about them being bold, aggressive or dangerous as brown bears, they can make a mess of your camp and you could come back to a shredded tent or backpack which could ruin your trip. I've never seen nor heard of it but it very well could happen.

 

[RockyMtnHigh]

I've never had an issue with black bears in CO, and don't know anyone who has, but I always hang my food just to be safe. If I have the dog with me the dog food gets ran up the tree as well. Also, if I am away from camp I don't leave any food, or trash in my tent. I also keep all my food and trash in a jumbo ziploc type bag that is supposed to lock in all odors, not sure if it really works, but figure anything that could help control the scent is good.

If you aren't near a campground or mountain resort type place, like the Grand Mesa, you probably don't have a whole lot to worry about.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I plan to hang stuff around camp (and any cache's) just so I don't come back to a mess. I have a bear tag but I'm not going to bait them to my campsite.


Edit: if in high country w/o trees technically you can put it all in a bear container and place that away from camp so if something comes and knocks it around they are less likely to also go rip open your tent. Then just see if you can find the container later if something did mess with it.

 

[SHTF]

Definitely hang it. Only takes one time to end a hunt


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[Felix40]

Never messed with it. Had a bear walk basically through our camp a couple years ago during the night and he didn't mess with anything. The damn mice are a bigger problem imo.

 

[Bughalli]

Definitely hang it. Only takes one time to end a hunt


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I agree, as hunters we wait all year for that one week of vacation to hunt and a bear can ruin a backcountry hunt pretty quickly. I have have hunted Southern CO and never hung my food, really out of pure laziness. No issues so far and have yet to see a bear in the field. I'm usually right at tree-line. I do know guys who hunt more mid-state in CO, not near a campground and the bears come into their tent quite often. Now they leave the door open, which is better than the hole they created the first time. So I guess it's just luck. I'll probably start hanging my food just because opportunities to get out hunting are getting tougher and tougher.

Bear canisters work for keeping them out of your food, but you'll need to track down where they took it. They often don't leave it where they found it. I've had this happen during backpack camping trips in Yosemite. I'll usually find my canister 100 yards away. I would fear in sage brush it might disappear.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Bear canisters work for keeping them out of your food, but you'll need to track down where they took it. They often don't leave it where they found it. I've had this happen during backpack camping trips in Yosemite. I'll usually find my canister 100 yards away. I would fear in sage brush it might disappear.

If there are no trees it is what it is if you need to leave your food behind for the day, better a lost food cache than a shredded tent/gear.

 

[LongWayAround]

Never messed with it. Had a bear walk basically through our camp a couple years ago during the night and he didn't mess with anything. The damn mice are a bigger problem imo.

Agreed! I fell asleep under my tarp one night with my pack's main pocket open. In the morning I found that one of the little vermin had chewed through the inner mess pocket and into my bagel sandwich! I was pissed about the damage and enraged at the loss of a delicious sandwich.

 

[Poser]

I just got back from doing a little backpacking in SW CO. I camped right at the treeline where the trees were only 4-6 feet tall. I could have moved further down the slope for taller trees, but I was too lazy to have to add that extra uphill for the next mornings hard ascent. I strung my food between 2 trees that were downhill of each other. It only got the food maybe 7 feet off the ground, but it was the best I could do. I did see some bear scat in the immediate area.

 

[jeffpg]

I never had a problem in Colorado and never actually gave it a thought. Perhaps I shoulda, but no issues whatsoever.

I have to in NW Wyoming this fall though.

 

[camping1601]

I do if more than one night. I worry more about the mice and chipmunks.

 

[rayporter]

nope

i know there is always a first time but since 1984 i have never heard of any bear trouble in SW co.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Never had problem with the bears.. Had 3 last year all week around camp..
Never messed with our food

 

[jmez]

I always hang mine. Doesn't take long and I'd rather not have to walk back to the trailhead and drive to town to replace my food.

We also eat and have our food about 100 yards from out tents. Hopefully to prevent a bear from tearing up our stuff while we are out hunting if one should come through. Wasn't CO but last year in MT a black bear got into a guys camp near us and pretty much destroyed everything that they had. Ate all their food, tore up their tents and sleeping bags, extra clothes etc.

 

[KJH]

Never hung it up in Colorado, or thought to do that there. Other places- yes.

Several years ago, in the middle of the night a black bear came into camp in Canada with absolutely nothing bear-proofed in the whole camp. Food and gear all over. All it did was chew up one of my partners leather boots that were upside down on a stick to dry. I don't think it ever even bothered to sniff the food box that was 10 ft from the tent.

 

[armadillo66]

Last year in September I had a bear in my kitchen, broke out the kitchen window and was in the kitchen sink when I put the light on him, he boogied down the road and ransacked another kitchen that night. Another bear broke into a van in our driveway for a small bag of dog food.
So yeah, now when I am out, I hang or at least put ice chest on top of vehicle.
I have an archery bear tag just for camp raiders, so come on there Mr Bear

 

[Tsnider]

i just store all my food under my pillow so i know its safe.

 

[Jason Snyder]

You should always hang your food in bear country. If you don't you may be causing a problem for the person that comes after you.

 

[406]

Above timber we used to pile it up wrapped in a tarp with all the pots/pans/anything that made noise on top. Theory being that it would alert us if someone got curious. Always hung it if we could.

I've chased more bears out of camp on rivers in Idaho than mountaineering in Colorado but it's always better to be safe.

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