[pct-l] bears . . . I'm not biting this time

[kdpo at pacbell.net (Ken Powers)]

We met a Yellowstone ranger who does training about bears in YNP. She said
that wolves smell over 100 times better than humans. And that bears smell
over 100 times better than wolves.  She also mentioned bears can smell a
rotting carcass twenty miles away. After talking with her I have concluded
that trying to hide the scent of food from bears is not worth the effort.

I have heard many places that bears do not like the smell of humans.
Therefore, I work on smelling bad to keep bears away. It seems to work - we
didn't even see any grizzlies on our CDT hike. We do believe that they saw
(and smelled) us though. As for black bears, we have seen 6 or more on each
of our treks. Interestingly more on the AT than the PCT or CDT. Most of them
were rear views of bears heading down the hill or of treed cubs with mom
safely down the hill.

Keep hiking!
Ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Slyatpct@aol.com>
To: <yogilists@hotmail.com>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bears . . . I'm not biting this time


> In a message dated 12/31/2003 12:53:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> yogilists@hotmail.com writes:
>
> > notice how I've stayed out of this one.
> >
> >
>
> LOL...  Whatever your "secret" methods they'll probably work equally as
well
> on the CDT next year.  Even in Griz country when not in Yellowstone and
> Glacier.  At least it did for us.  My theory was why would they bother
with a little
> old food bag with they had a human size enchilada ripe for the pickings?
> Yikes!
>
> YMMV  Best of luck!
>
> PS those days my FB was triple wrapped in ziplocks.
>
>
>
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