cooking under the tarp

[SilvrSurfr]

"If one takes a casual glance at this thread it will be pretty obvious that those for/against BFTH are also more or less outside/inside grizzly country respectively."

What is BTFH?

Breakfast from the hammock.

[swoody126]

If one takes a casual glance at this thread it will be pretty obvious that those for/against BFTH are also more or less outside/inside grizzly country respectively.

yes, i live outside bear country

Ben Lilly cleaned the bears out of this country way over 100 years ago

but it is obvious that you have never been in close quarters w/ an old boar coon

in that case, the comment that TH'AINT NO ATHEISTS IN A FOXHOLE would come to mind...

just sayin...

sw

[Gqgeek81]

I'll be wearing a new coon hat if one ever takes my food. It would be worse than messin with Sasquatch.

[bruinfan]

"If one takes a casual glance at this thread it will be pretty obvious that those for/against BFTH are also more or less outside/inside grizzly country respectively."

What is BTFH?

breakfast from hammock. just a guess
great thread.

[SilvrSurfr]

Not eating where you sleep is a best practice in the woods, regardless of whether you're in bear country or not. Hanging your food away from your campsite in a bear bag is also a best practice.

Not everybody follows best practices, and they live to tell the tale. I've dozed off in bear country with my food right under my hammock, but that doesn't mean it is a smart thing to do.

Doesn't matter if it's a field mouse or a bear after your food; you're not gonna go wrong following best practice.

[Hangin'Yankee]

Doesn't matter if it's a field mouse or a bear after your food; you're not gonna go wrong following best practice.

Unless the bears figure out that your following "best practice" and find your food stash.

Good thread everyone.

HY

[yooz85]

I have recently just started cooking breakfast from the hammock with no problems, and i have only rehydrated meals for dinner under my tarp when its pouring out. But i also hike with a coon hound right by my side and he sleeps under my tarp with me. 300 miles on the AT and haven't had one problem with bears in my camp at night. But that is just my experiences not saying it couldn't happen.

Also i only use my alcohol stove or esbit under my tarp, i wouldn't trust using a wood burner under my tarp. i have ruined to many down jackets getting to close to a fire or a stray spark. i wouldn't want that to happen to my underquilt/hammock/tarp.

I also always hang my food bag and smelly stuff using the pct method.

[Wander'nFool]

Just curious, who else keeps their safety whistle handy in the hammock?

I like to have mine ready to go to scare the bejesus out of critters in camp.

This has always been racoons for me, and only when in established camp sites, but I'm guessing most black bears would poop their furry britches. Not to say they wouldn't come right back though.

I always have a small marine air horn in a mesh bag hanging on my ridge line above my head. Do not have to take it out of the bag to blow. Used it once to scare a pack of daring coyotes that got too close to camp. Keep it in my pack waist strap pocket when on the trail.

[nothermark]

I used to hang around some folks who taught canoe camping. One of their items was a tarp set up on a slant with the fire built just outside the drip line on the high side. Did the same thing many times with friends and family. A 6x8 or 8x10 dining tarp in polyurethane coated nylon. Don't think we ever hurt the tarp but did put multiple ember holes in fleece pants... If we were not cooking with wood then it was white gas and still had a fire for the cleanup and to boil up a gallon or so of water for the next day. I still think in those terms with food as there are bears and critters. I also have come to understand some folks don't worry but seem to survive,

[sliver]

I keep bear spray in the storage pouch above my head for several reasons. One of them is that I have 2 medium sized dogs. I take the recommended precautions regarding food but I still like to be prepared.

On the other hand, an average of 90 people a year die from lightning strikes, 26 from dog attacks, and only 3 per year from bear attacks. So, you could make a reasonable argument that all of these precautions are overkill. Of course it could also be the reason why there are so few bear attacks.