[pct-l] critter encounters
mkwart at gci.net
mkwart at gci.net
Thu Jun 14 14:07:40 CDT 2012
Elderly Ellen wrote: At the campground near Drakesbad, I dutifully put
our food and water bladder in the bear locker when we went to bed. The
next day, I noticed the bite piece in the drinking tube had 'broken'
after I used it. On further inspection, it had been chewed on by a
rodent, as had our gorp supply...think it would have been safer in the
tent!
I agree that I think food is sometimes safer in the tent. I have had a
lot more problem with rodents than I have with bears. Keeping food in
the tent is anathema to the usual hiking ideas, but I have never had any
problem. Maybe its also because I usually hike alone. I use a bear
canister in the Sierras only where it is required by law. I am going on
a backpack trip to the Red Buttes wilderness south of Ashland, OR in the
beginning of July and people are talking about how they are taking bear
canisters! I sure won't. We have a tendancy to judge all bears by the
Sierra yardstick. Most bears are not acclimatized to the herds of hikers
like those found in the Sierras and have better things to do with their
time than bother backpackers.
--Fireweed
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