what a way to wake up...not

[Ewker]

I read this over on WB about what happened in the Smokies with some hammockers

"The park rangers at Cosby advised us to be extra careful with our food and "smellables", as they had seen aggressive bear activity lately. A bear had bitten a cooler last Friday at the campsite. The ranger also said that three times in the last two weeks campers sleeping in hammocks had been "mouthed" by bears at night. The ranger said the bears did not bite the folks, but rather the bears were just checking out the hammock contents by getting their jaws around what was inside. Kind of like their version of tasting, I guess.

[UncleMJM]

"The park rangers at Cosby advised us to be extra careful with our food and "smellables", as they had seen aggressive bear activity lately. A bear had bitten a cooler last Friday at the campsite. The ranger also said that three times in the last two weeks campers sleeping in hammocks had been "mouthed" by bears at night. The ranger said the bears did not bite the folks, but rather the bears were just checking out the hammock contents by getting their jaws around what was inside. Kind of like their version of tasting, I guess.

I know what the bear would have been tasting if I was awoken this way

My entire hammock might be then labeled as "smellables"

[Rain Man]

There's a reason my wife calls my hammock a "bear pinata!"

Rain Man

.

[ganon414]

My entire hammock might be then labeled as "smellables"

I don't think you'd be alone in that department!

--Tim

[oldgringo]

I know what the bear would have been tasting if I was awoken this way

Uh-huh. Lead. That's my space.

[Timberrr]

That's it!
I'm hanging at least ten feet up from now on.

[timabababaluka]

There's only one way to deal with a situation like this: trail the bear to where it beds down, and then mouth it while it sleeps.

You have to send a message.

(with extra emphasis on you )

[southmark]

That's why I hang my food bag on my friends hammock suspension after she falls asleep. Diversionary tactics.

[MAD777]

Maybe the bear thought the hammock WAS the food bag!

[Teegs]

This brings to mind a question I've had for a little while now. When you're out hanging, what types of bear protections do you implement?

There are the obvious ones like, hanging your food and smellables AWAY from camp.

But there's a few other provisions that I have practiced/heard about/seen people use.

Namely:

A) Pitch tent/hang a decent ways AWAY from where you cook/have your camp fire.

B) Don't sleep in the same clothes you cook in.

C) I knew one guy who went so far as to set up a trip wire for early notification.

D) Never camp alone.

E) Bring a dog.

F) Profit

Anti bear weaponry is not the subject of my question. Guns and mace don't PREVENT bear encounters.