[pct-l] bears & food - statistics ?

[m.karon at comcast.net (Marshall Karon)]

Most of the bears on the PCT either will run away from you or take your
food. These are not the grizzlies. I have heard stories that the High Sierra
Park bears don't scare easily. So, give them your food if you must. You
probably will not get hurt. More damage will be done by mice and chipmunks -
I've had both get to my food, once in a bear box and another time in my
tent.

As for bear statistics by through hikers - hey, most of us hike the trail
once or at different times. With those that I hiked with or heard about,
none had any bear troubles anyplace on the trail.

I talked with one hiker in Washington who surprised a bear on the trail
around Poison Springs - he threw his water bottle at the bear - the bear
ran.

I talked with drive in folks at the campsite at Red Meadows who had bears
come up to their table while cooking food during the day and stole their
steaks.

And in Yosemite Tuolumne Meadows, the park hosts had their tent ripped open
by bears to get at food left inside.

I think the bear problems are greatly overrated for PCT through hikers
practicing stealth camping and going through at normal times.

Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@comcast.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jackson" <sjackson@stratmarkgroup.com>
To: <pct-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 9:54 AM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] bears & food


All this talk of bears has me a little scared.  I'm a big wimp when it
comes to huge animals capable and willing to smash little humans under
the right circumstances.  I've done some hiking in bear country and have
never seen one.  How likely is it that one would encounter a bear on the
PCT, any real statistics?  How intelligent is it to mock-attack the bear
in hopes that it will be frightened away?  It seems like I've always
heard it was wise to take the opposite approach and walk away slowly
without making eye contact?

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bankhead [mailto:wandering_bob@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 11:44 AM
To: pct-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bears & food


Or just serve to get his undivided attention......That's why experienced
outdoorsmen don't shoot at bears unless they want to kill them. Shoot a
black bear - odds are 50/50 it will run away or charge. Shoot a grizzly
- odds are 0/100 it will  run away or charge and only one of you will be
alive when it's over.

Wandering Bob

----- Original Message -----
From: <Bighummel@aol.com>
To: <pct-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 9:09 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bears & food


> Don't carry a bear canister.  Carry an aluminum wrist rocket
> slingshot, stealth camp and collect several walnut-sized rocks near
> the slingshot
before you
> go to bed.  The wrist rocket can take the bark off of a Ponderosa pine
from 30
> yards, it will hurt the bear but not kill him.
>
> One strategy, not legal but fun.
>
> Greg
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