[pct-l] food storage strategy

[David Thibault]

Except for areas that require a bear canister I sleep with my food.  After
giving this some thought I figured it was my best solution.  If I hung my
food I would have to hear the bear and then chase it away from my hung
food.   If the food is with me I will be sure to hear the bear and chase it
away (bear willing of course).  In either case the encounter with the bear
is going to happen and for the bears sake I am going to do what I can to
protect him from my food (a fed bear is a dead bear).  When I sleep with my
food I am letting the bear know I am defending what is mine.  For
non-habituated bears this is probably enough.  Maybe I’ve been lucky but no
issues yet with either bear or rodents after many years.

By the way I was told years ago you are more likely to be hurt by a deer
than a bear in a National Park.  This is usually due to stupidly attempting
to feed/pet/or get a picture with a deer.

Day-Late



> If a bear can is not required I typically use an Ursack with an OPSac.  If
> there is a bear wire I hang the bag, otherwise I tie it to a tree away from
> my hammock.  Most of my hiking is in the Olympics, with a large black bear
> population.  So far I have had no issues with them and my food.  Only deer,
> who I caught pulling food out of a bear can that was only about 25 feet
> away, and chipmunks have bothered my food in nearly 30 years.
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