Food placement at night

[1eye]

Regardless of whether you hang or not, consider something like this -

peppergel.jpgpeppergel.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/SABRE-RED-Pepp...rds=bear+spray

I have used this model for years and consider it good insurance if a bear should come around and refuse to be scared away. I have never used it against a bear as they have always run when I made myself known but I have used it against 'aggressive' raccoons a couple of times over the years. It is effective, nonlethal and is good against anything, man or beast. It is not one of those big holster canisters. Just a small can in a sleeve that I carry clipped to my front pack strap where I can quickly grab it if need be. It's only about 3 inches tall and maybe an inch in diameter.

[Helium33]

Regardless of whether you hang or not, consider something like this -

peppergel.jpgpeppergel.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/SABRE-RED-Pepp...rds=bear+spray

I have used this model for years and consider it good insurance if a bear should come around and refuse to be scared away. I have never used it against a bear as they have always run when I made myself known but I have used it against 'aggressive' raccoons a couple of times over the years. It is effective, nonlethal and is good against anything, man or beast. It is not one of those big holster canisters. Just a small can in a sleeve that I carry clipped to my front pack strap where I can quickly grab it if need be. It's only about 3 inches tall and maybe an inch in diameter.

That's funny I do the same thing.

[SGT Rock]

Looks sort of like the ones we have at work. Have you ever tested by shooting it and what does it weigh?

[Dux]

15 people have been killed by Black Bears in the lower 48 states in the last 120 years. About the same number of people killed by mosquito or tick borne diseases each week in the US. I have nothing against hanging but the people who chose not to hang their food are not idiots, especially in the eastern US. I have seen people at camp obsess about bears and cooking and hanging yet those same people sit there with mosquitoes all over their legs or pull off ticks because they didn't feel the need to bring insect repellent. I choose to spend the majority of my 'worry' time on the highest risk items. Bears are way down the list. This is not 'anecdotal' as one member posted. These risk factors are well documented. Again, there is nothing wrong with hanging but don't criticize those who 'usually' don't.

Yup.

[CrankyOldGuy]

I always hang my food and (now) use the yellow Usack Minor with a Loksak odor proof bag inside after I had what must have been a flying squirrel get into my food bag. I don't know if the odor proof bag is really odor proof but I haven't had another critter problem in the 20+ nights since I started doing this.

[wagex]

im guessing this thread isnt specific to backpacking, so, i lock all my food stuff up in my trailer when i goto bed, though i should probably dump my dishwater a bit further from camp than i do, but when i think about it in hindsight, i usually pitch my hammock within 10-15 feet from where i cook, clean, shower and store my food. but im a car camper and we dont have any REAL dangerous animals besides perhaps feral hogs and coyotes.

back when i was a boyscout and was camping up in the PA mountains we had a mesh bag wed put ALL the food in and hang it probably 40ft up in the air away from camp... reminds me of the time a kid was supposed to bring stuff for beef stew... brough 24 cans of dinty moore... we packed all that crap 14 miles into camp. but it was sooo worth it haha.

[Moose85]

I've been thinking about this same thing since last night, glad someone else is. For those that asked if I would still put my food on the end of my hammock:

Option A: Hang food so well no bear could possibly get it. Hungry bear comes by and cannot get food, the next best thing is the guy in the hammock. So food is protected but the hiker is attacked.

Option B: Hang food at the end of your hammock. Bear smells you and food, takes food bag, leaves hiker to wake up and defend self while bear moves off to the wood line with a food bag that doesn't fight back.

Option A you are at least absolved (by most, some will imply it was still somehow your fault) of any part in your own injury or death.

Option B you lose your food, have to hike out and report an aggressive bear, maybe get a fine and the scorn of the true believers that believe you brought it on yourself. Hike again some day in the future.

I don't know who likes option A? You don't have to answer that question.

In my opinion, option B your way more likely to die. At that point the bear has food by the time you wake up and scare it. And now it's going to either try to defend the food from you taking it or assume you have more food in your hammock.
when dealing with black bears I've learned it is best to hang your food a little ways away from camp so if they start going after it you will hear them and wake up before they get it. That way you can try to scare them off before the bears get to the food. Once they have it they will be much harder to deter and they will come back looking for more: which means if you left food for a bear your screwing over who ever comes behind you.