[pct-l] More Silly Questions?

[glenhubbell at yahoo.com (Glen Hubbell)]

There is a larger context to the bear problem that I
do not see discussed: 

1) The bear encounter problem is primarily located at
popular tourist camping and picnic areas. When you get
a couple of miles outside of these areas, the bear
encounter rate drops to random. I have had maybe 10
bear encounters and they all ran away as fast as they
could.

2) Short distance hikers smell clean and perfumed.
Bears can easily distinguish between the hiker and the
food bag no matter where the bag is placed. Long
distance hikers do not smell clean and perfumed nor
does their gear. It is not clear that separating the
food bag from the long distance hiker matters.

3) Bears smell a ?landscape? analogous to how we see a
?landscape?. To hang a food bag from a tree is the
equivalent to hanging a flashing red light from a
tree. We can see it from a great distance. Bears can
smell it from a great distance.

4) Non tourist habituated bears are very cautious and
very sneaky. They will reconnoiter a human camp and
approach only if they think they can steal the food
without getting caught. I have had at least two bears
snooping around my camp. Making weird noises on my
bear whistle caused them to run away so fast you would
have thought someone shot them.

5) The most fearsome predator in the woods is not a
bear, it is the National Park Ranger with a Gun and a
Ticket Book.

Chance

--- Aloha! Ann <AlohaAnn@adelphia.net> wrote:
> Aloha All!
> 
> A couple more for ya....
> 
> 1.  Not wishing to reopen the discussion of bear
> cannisters vice no bear cannisters, my question is
> semi-related.  Short and sweet, is bear/critter
> bagging line recommended and/or necessary for any
> areas outside of where bear cannisters are
> recommended/required?  If yes, where please?  I'm
> picturing desert with limited places to hang things
> and at the same time those adorable little marmots
> come to mind.  Thoughts?
> 
> 2.  I understand someone worked on Leki poles last
> year at the Kickoff, will that wonderful person be
> there again this year and be working on poles?  I
> understand whomever was awesome.  Great to hear.
> 
> As always... mahalo.
> 
> Aloha!
> _______________________________________________
> pct-l mailing list
> pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> unsubscribe or change options:
> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com