"Mmm...sausage!" growled the bear.

[dvisic]

While I was in Oregon, Fixitman and I had a conversation about bear safety. Neither one of us has done extensive camping in bear country. He made the "sausage" joke about how a hammock camper would appear to a bear. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how FUNNY it actually is. :P

As I'm about to do a stretch as a nomad, it is information I think I should have: how to survive camping alone in areas that might contain bears? I never was a scout and I grew up in Kansas, so I really don't have a lot of experience with such dangers. I've been looking online, and every now and then I find a recommendation like the following:

"In grizzly country, couples may want to use a four person tent. Since garbage addicted grizzlies have been known to bite at objects brushing up against tent walls just to see whether it is edible, it is nice to have some space between you and the outside of the tent." Source.

How DOES this work with hammock camping? Obviously, one's body is pressed up directly against the hammock. Is a pitched tarp enough to make this unlikely? Are there other things one can do to discourage the bear from paying a visit to begin with? I understand getting a bear proof container and hoisting it up in the trees. Is there any sort of perimeter you can set up with a noisemaker that will startle the bears and keep them away? How much does one need to worry about cooking smells clinging to clothes and thus making the hammock an enticing target?

Thanks for any light y'all can shed on this topic.

[Roadtorque]

As I understand it bears have a very good sense of smell and very poor eyesight. They dont see you as food, they smell food and are drawn towards it. Keep all odors at a safe distance and it would be very bad luck if they bothered you.

[tiredhiker]

Hey bud,
I have visited my cousin in Trapper creek Ak. When we would go hiking we kept the food and other consumables about 25 yards away. I know this seems far but if the food odors call them in I want as much space as possible between us and the bear.....
And in the tent ,,, the theory of the 4 man tent and not brushing up on the walls?? The tent gives the person a false sense of security. If the bear wants to get to you he is going to carry you away in the tent or hammock whichever the person is in..
Just use common sense when in griz country, and black bears well there just as bad cause the people don't give them the respect they deserve.. keep food away up in a tree ,etc and you will be fine. many people hike in bear country and have no problem,but then there are the people who don't respect them and that spells trouble

[mbiraman]

Camping in bear country, that is in the back country, not parks, is no problem for the most part. As someone else said use common sense. Don't store food or anything with a strong smell in your camp. Keep it away from camp tied between a couple of trees or use an Ursac or bear keg. If you want, have some kind of a air horn or bangers or pepper spray to chase away any curious bears but if your using pepper spray do a trial run so you know how and what to expect and watch a couple of video's on usage. Do some research on the area your going to be in and do some research on bear behavior, do's and don'ts , to be prepared and other than that just enjoy yourself, chances are you won't even see a bear. Very few encounters result in problems .
When in parks , find out the regulations for where your going to be .

[gunner76]

The Forest Service has issued a BEAR WARNING in the national forests for this summer. They're urging everyone to protect themselves by wearing bells and carrying pepper spray.

Campers should be alert for signs of fresh bear activity, and they should be able to tell the difference between Black Bear dung and Grizzy Bear dung.

Black Bear dung is rather small and round. Sometimes you can see fruit seeds and/or squirrel fur in it.

Grizzly Bear dung has bells in it, and smells like pepper spray!

I have run into a black bear at night while hiking. I don't know who was more scared, me or the bear.

[Thase]

I am new to hammock camping, but here are a few rules i used as a ground dweller. I think they still apply.
1. All food, trash, tooth paste, deodorant, and anything else that you think may smell interesting to a bear is hung in a tree at least 25 yards from camp.
2. I dont camp near water sources. We aren't the only things that get water from these spots.
3. I try not to cook in camp. I stop early and eat dinner, then move on down the trail to set up camp.
4. Be aware of your surroundings . The last thing you want to do is walk up on a bear just because you weren't paying attention.
All this may be over kill, but i don't have any bear stories yet.

[Bradley]

When camping at night I set up a perimeter.
Using cord I string a line around the camp using the trees as the posts.
Between the trees I hang bear bells.

I am a light sleeper so any bell ringing, and I am awake . . . NOW.

With both pepper spray and a knife at the ready . . .

I have heard of a couple of cases lately . . .

1. a guy woke up to a bear sniffing his face - I would think he freaked
because that is when the bear grabbed his neck in his mouth as he tried to get away.
(His buddy is the one that saved him)

2. A woman awoke to the same sort of thing - but she thought to remain calm . . .
That would be tough, but she attributes that to no real injury as the bear left her alone.
(Now that a lady with Big Brass . . . )

There is also a fellow that was a survivor of a bear attack that sells bear spray,
and an battery operated electric bear fence weighs 3.7lbs with the batteries.
I am considering that.

[obxh2o]

The fear of bears gets too much attention IMHO.

If I remember correctly, you are twenty times more likely to die of a ligtning strike than a bear attack. Why don't people spend more time worrying about lightning?

Of course, your chances of dying from a lightning strike are minimal. That makes death by bear attack sub-minimal.

[Brian in so cal]

Dvisic, Angeles forest we can't hang our food. We can only use Bear Vaults and the rangers check. I keep mine at night 25 feet away from camp anyhow. The perimeter idea sounds good.

[Brian in so cal]

The fear of bears gets too much attention IMHO.

If I remember correctly, you are twenty times more likely to die of a ligtning strike than a bear attack. Why don't people spend more time worrying about lightning?

Of course, your chances of dying from a lightning strike are minimal. That makes death by bear attack sub-minimal.

After the attack in Yosemite I would not take anything for granted. Also have been other bear incidents lately.