Jstumbaugh
WKR
Im heading to Colorado this Sept and plan on hanging our food and carrying the pistol. Probably neither are necessary but I dont want to cut the hunt short for anything other than a filled tag.
Backcountry camping. Do you worry about black bears?
- Thread starter jarrettd
- Start date
Black bears worry? No. An issue? Maybe. Black bears are similar wherever they are. For the most part. More afraid of you. I have never worried about them chewing on me. Over the years, I started getting more lax around camp. In 2019 backcountry camp (Idaho) , I had a bear visit while I was out hunting. He pushed his way through the tent. Chewed my toiletries bag, stove (Esbit) and piss bottle. (Eww!) He also pulled my mattress pad out (Which I found ~ 20 yards down hill.) My food was in a bag on a 6' stump. (He didn't touch it. But everything was vacuum sealed). He did chew on my garbage also. (About 40 yards from camp).
I am pretty sure I pushed him out as I returned at 0 dark thirty. Chewed items still had slobber on them. (I did hear a twig snap as I was collecting my stuff, so he wasn't too far off) The biggest PIA was mattress pad. He punched holes in it and I couldn't seal all the holes well enough with tenacious tape/glue. (I am old. Sleeping is paramount) Next morning, I pulled camp and hunted out of truck the rest of the trip. Primarily because I knew he would be back to that camp (That is what bears do) and my pad was shot. And maybe the next time, there might be feathers everywhere from my WM bag.
Primary cause? I suspect toothpaste/spit may have contributed. Since that experience, I store all food/toothpaste in storage bag hung high. Additionally I spit toothpaste away from camp. (In a stream if no one is camped down stream)
FWIW. In black bear country, I don't carry spray or sidearm.
I am pretty sure I pushed him out as I returned at 0 dark thirty. Chewed items still had slobber on them. (I did hear a twig snap as I was collecting my stuff, so he wasn't too far off) The biggest PIA was mattress pad. He punched holes in it and I couldn't seal all the holes well enough with tenacious tape/glue. (I am old. Sleeping is paramount) Next morning, I pulled camp and hunted out of truck the rest of the trip. Primarily because I knew he would be back to that camp (That is what bears do) and my pad was shot. And maybe the next time, there might be feathers everywhere from my WM bag.
Primary cause? I suspect toothpaste/spit may have contributed. Since that experience, I store all food/toothpaste in storage bag hung high. Additionally I spit toothpaste away from camp. (In a stream if no one is camped down stream)
FWIW. In black bear country, I don't carry spray or sidearm.
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- Jun 15, 2016
- Messages
- 2,636
Buy a bear tag and you won't see one
Hang any food that is not sealed (no need to hang mountain house packets)
Hang any food that is not sealed (no need to hang mountain house packets)
- Banned
- #64
Moserkr
WKR
Wow. Think black bears are distinctly different from state to state? Maybe in griz country, but otherwise no. Junior manscaper attitude.
I know 2 friends who woke up to black bears licking their lips. One for chapstick, the other for chili mac, but dont worry, neither were in colorado. Have fun sleeping out there.
For “safety reasons”, I’d like the lats/longs of that location so I don’t mistakenly camp there.
- Banned
- #66
In Colorado the black bears have all the good weed. They deliver it right to your tent in the middle of the night. Good dudes, those CO bears are! I mean, I would have appreciated some snacks to go with it but I'm not complaining!
It's so odd...once they step over the state border they immediately get aggressive and start attacking people. Never understood how they know where that border is.
Hoodie
WKR
Maybe while you wait for COLORADO hunters to respond you can explain to us why you think black bears in Colorado are more or less of a problem than they are in Wyoming.
Hoodie
WKR
Something to do with the magnetic pull of iron deposits in the earth. It's like how birds migrate I think. They get to a certain latitude and they know it's time to get mean.
Afhunter1
WKR
I don’t hang my food anywhere. I do carry a pistol everywhere. You are prob at a less than zero chance of shooting a blackie in self defense but I’d say you could have a real chance at shooting a sheep herders dog. I hate them dang dogs. I also think a lion might be more aggressive than a blackie so I’d worry about one of them more. I also don’t trust people I meet in the woods that aren’t hunting or a cowboy. Most all this does apply to the west in general.
Gotta be careful leaving those hippie treats out. God only knows what would happen if a bear ate a tray of cannabis brownies.
The Colorado bears are just like any other bear. They run when they see you and eat opportunistically. There is nothing special about them. CO has a decent population of bears, but not like a few other states.
That's with 20 years of backcountry CO experience.
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Unless you figure out how they act in the county in COLORADO you will be hunting, you will never know for sure....
I HAVEN’T CARRIED BEAR SPRAY OR PISTOL WHEN HUNTING OR CAMPING IN colorado. I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF ENCOUNTERS IN colorado AND OTHER STATES, JUST HAVEN’T HAD ANY THREATENING ENCOUNTERS. EVERY BLACK BEAR IN colorado AND ELSEWHERE HAS RUN THE OTHER WAY.
rbljack
WKR
The hunts ive been on I havent worried about it. Ironically, it does enter my mind more on a solo hunt then when in a small group. That being said....Im more worried about the rodents getting into my food and chewing holes in my bag, boots, sleep system, etc.
On my last solo hunt, I was in my floorless shelter and had mice getting into my MH...so I did hang my food the second morning thru the fourth day... But still want access to my coffee in the AM at least
On my last solo hunt, I was in my floorless shelter and had mice getting into my MH...so I did hang my food the second morning thru the fourth day... But still want access to my coffee in the AM at least
mfllood3800
WKR
I have bear all around here in Utah and I never worry about them. One of the reasons is Bear hunt opens with elk so bears are being run by dogs, pursued by humans, and they really don't want anything to do with me. I have seen dozens on cameras right where I hunt/camp, but never in real life. Same with lions. When I hunt States with more agressive bears I carry my 10mm, but here in Utah only my 9mm or 45, cause they are lighter and more for humans than animals. 
You really need to start carrying a 10MM when you fly fish. Can’t be too careful.
Highhuntin
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
- Messages
- 259
I hang my food but only for rodents, figure if a bear wants it I’m going hungry.
I’ve lived in Colorado going on 17 years and been hunting here every year. I don’t ever carry spray or a pistol here, there’s just no need really. I’m telling you man, just buy a bear tag when you come out. That way you will either never see a bear, or if you do, maybe you can get a shot.
I do have a 10mm that carry when I hunt griz country in Montana, but the Colorado mountains are pretty safe.
Not to sound like I’m bashing, because I grew up on the east coast. But man, guys come out here from states that have 6 or 7 DIFFERENT poisonous snakes, spiders, alligators, etc. and then worry about bears and Mountain lions when they get out here. Way more shit can probably kill your back east or especially in the southeast!
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