[pct-l] Fw: To carry or not to carry

[Edward Anderson]

I agree with Doug. It is a calculated risk to sleep with your food. You might be able to get by with it for a long time - and then, one night, you might just have a visit with some rogue, habituated bear that has wandered away from places where he is accustomed to eating people food. Why take the chance? People have been mauled and killed when they had kept food in their tents. You can become a candidate for the Darwin Award if you have a cavalier attitude and make a habit of sleeping with your food. I also agree with Doug that it is immoral to encourage others, by your example, to sleep with food. I think that I can recall reading of a tragic incident last year when a kid who slept with candy bars in his tent, was killed by a bear. That was not on the PCT.
 
I do the opposite and use odor-proof sacks, bear charms, and carry bear spray. I have never had a bear problem - and don't want one.
 
MendoRider-Hiker
 
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Douglas Tow <douglastow at gmail.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Wednesday, February 6, 2013 2:02 PM
Subject: [pct-l] To carry or not to carry
  
Good afternoon!

Bullets vs. bears:  Bears only want your food, and properly managed, they
won't get it.  Poorly managed, a bear will try for it, but is no danger
unless the food is in your tent.  It is immoral and illegal to shoot a bear
just for stealing your food, and if you keep food in your tent, you don't
belong on the trail, with or without a gun.

Bullets vs. people:  The PCT is one of the safest places in the country to
be in terms of potential violence.  If you carry a gun in public places,
and you are still worried about violence on the trail, nothing but legal
restrictions (national parks and the like) will probably deter you, in the
beginning, but

Bullets vs. trail reality:  By the time you are 40 miles up the trail, you
will be looking at any way to reduce weight, down to tearing labels off of
teabags.  The gun and ammunition will probably be in the first box back
home.

Can we go yet?

Doug
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