[pct-l] Bear Canisters and their uses

[mardav@charter.net (Marion Davison)]

I heartily agree, Monte.  We have spent close over 100 nights in
Yosemite and Sequoia NP in the last five years, with and without our
llamas.  The bears don't bother us at all, because they are afraid of
llamas.  We now carry two Garcia cannisters just to placate any ranger
who might stop us.  They are a plain nuisance.  In 40 nights on the
trail this summer we never met a single ranger, no one checked our
permit or asked to see the stinking cans. But we still had to haul them
around and live out of them all summer, for fear of random fines.
Next year we are doing all our hiking north of Yosemite (the Tahoe Rim
trail plus 150 miles of PCT) because we are so sick of quotas, dog bans,
anti-llama laws, and bear cans!  
Marion Davison

Montedodge@aol.com wrote:
> 
>  If you want true joy in life, just load a canister with 2 hersey bars, honey
> scented anything, smoked sausage and a Furbie.Bear swats canister and Furbie
> laughs it's b--- off. Canisters are still just a temporary short term fix to
> pampering problem bears. I would advise use of a small airhorn, wristrocket
> and maybe a can of pepper spray. There is nothing " Natural" or cute about
> pampered Park bears. The NPS brings this problem on theirselves with their
> lame  policies creating an " Unnatural" lack of fear between people and
> bears. Most anywhere else but in parks, bears are no problem . ( Unless you
> like to fry bacon in your tent!!) ( Remember the story of the totaled Toyota
> at Whitney Portal?) Bully bears,people,sharks,dogs or whatever need to be
> taught a " Painfull" learn about their behavior. If they don't get the
> picture then, you need to either destroy or remove them. ( Whether it be
> bears,people ,dogs, sharks,mice, snakes, ants,worms,etc.etc. etc.) To open
> bear canister while wearing oven mitts, just pick up your " Eggshell Like"
> 75.00 canister and smack sharply on rock located on ground. So far, bears
> have figured out problems much more difficult than this.( Like all the NPS
> bear cans  and food bags balanced over branch) A canister is a band-aid fix
> and another reason to allow NPS to tax you( ticket you) in the process. No
> canister( of their choice) and you face a fine.
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