[pct-l] Bear canisters

[Austin Williams]

Postholer, I agree with you... you outlaw, you.
People seem to be under the impression that not having a bear canister means
being more at risk at having your food eaten.... then the bears will want to
eat other human food, becuase its so goo dtasting and easy to get....

The second half is true: bears that do get food from people tend to go after
peoples food more often... resulting in their early... sad demise at the
hands of the ranger looking out for all of us.

The first half is not true.  Not having a bear can doesn't mean a bear is
more likely to get your food IF you properly bear bag (or, in your case,
physically gaurd your food as you sleep).  After I thru-hike the PCT this
year, I think we should set up a test of this idea.  Lets put it to the
empirical test.  I'll carry a roasted turkey (yes, the whole thing) in a
cloth bag through all "high problem" areas, bearbagging it each night.  I'm
am confident that -- despite the yummy smell of the rotting turkey carcus --
no bear will get the turkey.  You can sleep with your rotting turkey carcus
(because you'll "man up" for this most-awesome empiraical test) and I bet
the bears won't get it.  You'll be visisted... but they won't get a single
lick.

When we've shown them all that there is more than one method of keeping our
forest safe for both man (and woman) and bear, then we'll petition for a
broader law that allows for many different (but effective) ways of
protecting the bears from our food, and viseversa.

In the mean time... I just can't afford that ticket.  I'm going to REI to
get my can.  Hey, I don't actually have to be able to FIT all my food in the
canister do I?  I mean, if the Ranger stops me, will I have to cram it all
in there?  I mean, I'm going to bear bag it either way, but I'll go with the
smallest one possible if I don't have to have to put on a show for the
Ranger.