[pct-l] Sorry!!

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

Dear Mr. Hormone,

In 1988 I had a bear mess with my canister twice. In 1994 a bear wandered
within 100 yards of my camp. That is the total number of bears that I have
seen. If food is not available they don't seem to bother you.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: Montedodge@aol.com [mailto:Montedodge@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 8:57 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Sorry!!


 Sorry ,but I can't help my self!! Many hikers view bear's as just cute big 
fluffly oversized Teddy Bear's. ( After watching one too many Disney films)

Bears are a thing of awe to watch  and observe at a distance. I totally
enjoy 
each encounter with these great creatures!! Wild bears that is. The over 
pampered, over fed type found to the High Sierra's and Yosemite are a 
different story!! I will carry a canister where required, but on strong 
protest!!!!  If I  work all year and only get 2 weeks to do a JMT hike, I am

sure going to defend my food cache against one of these Pampered bears. Many

of you may just sit and say, " Well,there go Yogi with my 10 days of food"
ah 
,but he is so cute. Grizzlies are one thing and Blackies are another. I have

very close friends chased a black bear at night with ice axes and did 
retrieve their stolen food.  If you mess cubs, yes a black bear is a mean
and 
tough as it gets. But a black bear is a push over if you make any effort to

stand your ground when he's stealling YOUR FOOD!! Yes the wrist rocket has 
worked twice for me and in one case the people camped down a 100 hundred 
yards lost their food of 10 days ( which ruined their trip) to the same bear

I chased off. Also 4 years ago ,my son and I held 3 black bears off with 
simple rocks up  Ross lake on a Kayak trip. I have never lost food to a 
single bear in my life and do not wish to. You can call it Hormones or 
whatever, but defending your food or tent with a wrist rocket works as good 
as rubber bullets for a fraction of the price as does raise the amount of 
respect that a bear will have when it meets the next hiker!! I only hope
that 
some of the na-sayers on this list meet a bear I have just whacked with my 
slingshot so they can cook in peace without some 400 lb. pampered thug 
Blackie waddling through their camp to make him self at home. As far as 
packing one of these , it's your choice and I really don't care if a hiker 
wants to or not. By playing a pattsy for these bears, you will only make it 
worse for the next hiker by being a non-violent target. It's kind of like
the 
person who walks their Central Park at night and say's, " I was mugged!!". 
Well do something about it and fight back!! Kissing up to terrorist,muggers,

Nazi's or Park Bears only makes things worse!!!  Signed Mr. Hormone
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