Backcountry camping. Do you worry about black bears?

[martin248]

If you get a bear tag you are guaranteed never to see any black bear

BTW, post 1

 

[arock]

Nope. If packing in, food is hung (more or less) not inconveniently far from where the tent is. More because I don't want any animal scurrying around in my tent. Or its in the truck if I'm truck camping. Black Bears either don't care that you're there or they are going to run away.

If you run into a sick one that could be a problem or mess with a cub then mom may get irritated but overall its more of a don't be stupid situation then a you must be on high alert at all times thing. Same goes for cats, they're probably going to be more curious then anything.

I only carry a sidearm because the boss says I have to if I'm going to go out alone. Pretty good compromise when her current stance is "hunt as much as you can".

 

[You only live once]

For your first elk hunt ever do you want to be worried about it all night, or do you want to take 10 extra minutes to hang your food and sleep soundly?

I always hang my food 100 yards or more from camp. None of my hunting buddies bother and they've never had problems but why risk it?

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Exactly right

 

[CodeMonkey]

So far my experience has been that if you have a bear tag, you won't see any bears.

 

[Tobe_B]

Typically hang food when we leave for the day to make sure we’ve got food when we come back. But I set my camp with my high lines around the tent. That way I can watch my stock and they keep watch for bears. Haven’t had a problem so far. If I didn’t have stock I’d hand my food. I like my sleep, and my food. Would be a shame to lose either over a few minutes of work.


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[timekiller13]

I’m not a seasoned Colorado hunter but do have 4 DIY trips out there. Never worried about black bears. No pistol no bear spray. I think it depends on what you are used to. Plenty of bears back home in NC and I’ve spent countless nights sleeping in the woods with them.

Grizzlies worry me a little more. Mostly because I have very little experience with them. Fortunately, no grizzly’s in Colorado.

 

[goosenado]

Well now you got me thinking. I've only ever really hung my food and not very well or far away. I've done I guess out of peace of mind. I also lived in the bush in Griz country for awhile and I think that shapes my perspective differently vs Black bears in CO.

 

[trophyhill]

I never store food in my tent if thats what ya mean. Never had any issues (knock on wood).

 

[Sinkinglizard]

lot of people on here saying don't worry about it.

Yes, it is "just" a black bear, but It only takes one growly bear with the wrong attitude for you to regret not taking the extra 2 minutes to hang food. just my .02

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I agree with what others have been saying about bear bags. When I was in Boy Scouts we used them every trip. Also make sure to get a can of bear mace and keep it on your 24/7. Bear mace is highly effective and unlike a gun you can deploy it over your back even while your getting mauled.

I actually faced down a black bear in Banff National Park some years ago with my Wife. We just ate lunch and had not put away the food yet and we were changing in the tent. I had my mace in the tent pocket. I opened the tent and got out and turned back to see a black bear 6 ft from me. I slowly slinked back in the tent and grabbed the mace. When I got out again he was about 10 feet away and we just kind of stared at each other for like 3 min while I said, "Heyyy bear..." over and over. My wife got her stuff and we just kind of backed off and left the area. I was 50/50 going to mace him but he was not aggressive and just standing there so I didnt want to provoke it.

Anyway, we retreated and the bear tore apart our campsite. I went to get forest service and found a guy with a telephoto and he took some pretty crazy pictures. Eventually the Ranger showed up with a shotgun with rubber deer slugs and we went back and he put 2 rounds into the bear and it ran off. They later trapped it and put it further into the park. Luckily he didnt damage the tent but he tore open the cooler. He ended up eating a whole pack of marshmallows and one of those giant Costco blocks of cheddar cheese.

Moral(s) of the story: Bears can come at any time, they are basically giant woodland critters that just want food, always have Bear Mace and be very diligent about camp food.

I got the guy with the camera's email and he sent me the shots a few weeks later:

 

[FlyGuy]

I don’t “worry” about them, but I probably should. I have to admit that I get lazy and eat dinner inside my shelter more than I should. And it’s so nice to roll over in the early am hit light up the jet boil and then eat a hot breakfast inside my warm bag before starting the day.

But, If I am working out of a basecamp at all, I do try to at least hang my extra days of food away from camp. I’m not all that worried about being eaten alive by a black bear, but I really don’t want one ransacking my camp while I’m out hunting. It would be terrible to come back to camp after a long hard day to find your shelter/bag/pad shredded and all your food gone. That would most likely end a hunting trip early and send you home, or at the very least coat you many days of hunting trying to get to a big enough town to replace that lost gear.


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[fmyth]

I agree with what others have been saying about bear bags. When I was in Boy Scouts we used them every trip. Also make sure to get a can of bear mace and keep it on your 24/7. Bear mace is highly effective and unlike a gun you can deploy it over your back even while your getting mauled.

I actually faced down a black bear in Banff National Park some years ago with my Wife. We just ate lunch and had not put away the food yet and we were changing in the tent. I had my mace in the tent pocket. I opened the tent and got out and turned back to see a black bear 6 ft from me. I slowly slinked back in the tent and grabbed the mace. When I got out again he was about 10 feet away and we just kind of stared at each other for like 3 min while I said, "Heyyy bear..." over and over. My wife got her stuff and we just kind of backed off and left the area. I was 50/50 going to mace him but he was not aggressive and just standing there so I didnt want to provoke it.

Anyway, we retreated and the bear tore apart our campsite. I went to get forest service and found a guy with a telephoto and he took some pretty crazy pictures. Eventually the Ranger showed up with a shotgun with rubber deer slugs and we went back and he put 2 rounds into the bear and it ran off. They later trapped it and put it further into the park. Luckily he didnt damage the tent but he tore open the cooler. He ended up eating a whole pack of marshmallows and one of those giant Costco blocks of cheddar cheese.

Moral(s) of the story: Bears can come at any time, they are basically giant woodland critters that just want food, always have Bear Mace and be very diligent about camp food.

I got the guy with the camera's email and he sent me the shots a few weeks later:

View attachment 414571View attachment 414570View attachment 414569View attachment 414568

He tore the hell out of your picnic basket!

 

[TheGDog]

Ooh, he looks thin. Yeah.. he would not have backed down. Too hungry to have backed down. You'd have had to spray him. Which you most likely should have, so he learns to associates tents and table with facefuls of burning hot sting.

 

[PVHunter]

Big, fluffy, & black, ate a bag of marshmallows and a brick of cheddar - that could be my newfoundland.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Ooh, he looks thin. Yeah.. he would not have backed down. Too hungry to have backed down. You'd have had to spray him. Which you most likely should have, so he learns to associates tents and table with facefuls of burning hot sting.

Yeah I have ran the scenario in my head a good number of times on spraying vs not spraying. At the end of the day my only real objective was getting my wife away from danger and I was able to accomplish that with the actions I took. I basically stood at the end of the tent, had her get out and walk slowly away from camp then I walked backward with the mace at ready in case the bear made a move. He just kind of stood there and looked at me the whole time so we got out. The ranger lit him up pretty good with the rubber bullets so hopefully he learned a thing or two.