Re: [pct-l] Bear-bagging

[reynolds@ilan.com]

Bear bagging, when done properly, is defeated by the bear climbing the tree,
climbing out on the limb, jumping up and down until the limb, the bag or the
cord fails. Usually it is the bag itself. The camper did not tie the bag to the
cord well enough or the bag is not stout enough. If the bear can climb out on
the limb far enough to reach the cord he simply pulls the cord, and the bag up.

A variation of your approach has been used by the NPS. They strung a wire
between teo (2) trees. The bears defeated this by vibrating the wire. The rhythm
moved the bag to the other end whereupon the bear simply climbed the other tree.

I don't know if a bear can bite through a wire but they can knock down a 2"
steel pole set in concrete given enough time.

Don't underestimate these bears. They could probably sew your tent although a
couple have MBA's [University of California, Berkely] and would give you a hard
time about your management approach.


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