Do bear bags work?

In a best-case scenario (i.e., a skilled hanger, a light food load, favorable trees nearby, and no mistakes), hanging a bear bag takes about 15 minutes. But it rarely works out that way. Why? Most backpackers have limited hanging skills and experience and are therefore inefficient.

Do you really need a bear bag?

It doesn't matter. The purpose of hanging a bear bag is not to keep your food safe. THE PURPOSE OF HANGING A BEAR BAG IS TO KEEP BEARS WILD! The primary purpose of hanging a bear bag at night or using a bear canister is to keep bears wild.

Do dry bags work as bear bags?

To be completely safe, hang smell-proof and dry bags. The bag should be 12 feet off the ground and 4 feet away from the tree trunk.

Do bear vaults work?

Upside: Canisters offer backpackers peace of mind by providing a simple, effective way to keep human food safe from animals. They can also double as a camp stool. Downside: They are heavy (2-3 lbs.), bulky and a tight (or insufficient) fit for all the food and scented items you aim to carry on a lengthy trip.

Do moth balls repel bears?

Due to bears' highly developed sense of smell, they find the pungent odor of mothballs unique, which actually piques their interest. Placing mothballs in or around your camp (or vehicle) may attract bears to your location, thus increasing the chance of bears raiding your food cache.

Are these valid reasons why you SHOULD NOT hang a bear bag?

Can bears smell food in cars?

The reason a bear will smell food in your car is because out of all animals, bears have the best sense of smell. On average, a bear has a sense of smell 2,100 times better than a human. So, again, no matter what type of car you have, a bear will smell food in it. Bears are also smart.

Can bears smell through Ziploc bags?

Bears can smell through Ziploc bags. They do so because scent molecules escape through the thin plastic.

What can I use instead of a bear bag?

If you just can't get the hang of hanging a bear bag, try using a Ursack instead.

How big should my bear bag be?

If you're carrying bulkier food, you may need to consider a 20-30L bag. Exceeding 20L usually makes the contents too heavy for the bag to be hung, though. You'll want to consider splitting into two 20-30L bags at that point. Another consideration is that most backpackers carry around a 50-60L backpack.

Can bears smell food in a cooler?

Tip #2: Put it Away

This is particularly important if you are camping in an area that is inhabited by bears, as bears will be attracted to the smell of your food. By placing a cooler inside of your food storage locker, you can keep all of your food cool while also keeping it safely away from bears and other animals.

How do you bear proof a campsite?

Why dont parks let you feed bears?

Sadly, bears that obtain human food may lose their natural fear of humans. Over time, they may become bold or aggressive in their attempts to obtain human food and become a threat to public safety. When this happens, the bear pays the ultimate price–it is destroyed.

Do Opsak bags work?

On its own, an Opsak is an inadequate method of overnight food protection. It's best considered an enhancement to a more reliable method. Specifically, an Opsak can be used to line an Ursack Major or Ursack Minor to make it less detectable or less interesting to a bear or rodent.

Can bears smell frozen food?

Bears, said Gustafson, can smell the frozen contents of a freezer from half a mile away. And if it's not locked, it's dinner – potentially a deadly dinner.

Can bears smell through mylar bags?

If a bear can't smell your food or see your food, he won't get your food. Today's freeze-dried foods have near zero moisture content (you add the water) and are sealed in odor-proof mylar foil. It's doubtful a bear can smell through the foil, but it certainly can smell you—and your hands where you handled the package.

Are Ursacks worth it?

An Ursack is a big improvement over a traditional bear-bag hang because many, if not most backpackers and campers, do such a poor job hanging their food bags so an animal can't bring it down. Once down, it's easy for an animal to rip open a stuff sack, eat, or foul all the food inside.

Are bears attracted to beer?

“Pretty well anything that has an odor and digestible calories, bears will be attracted to,” says Stephen Herrero, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary and the author of Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance. “Beer—once it's open—has its own odor, and that odor could certainly attract bears.”

Can you store food in your car in bear country?

In Picnic Areas and Campgrounds

In some parks, food may be stored inside your car as long as it is out of sight, with windows completely closed, and only during daylight hours; never store food in a pickup truck bed or strapped to the outside of a vehicle.

Can bears smell vacuum packed food?

Bears don't see well, especially at night, so as long as there's no food odor (there must be none), they'll leave things alone. As an added precaution, I vacuum-seal foods in plastic. Some grocery stores will vacuum-seal foods at no charge. Medical grade OPSAK bags are 100 percent odor proof and waterproof.

Can bears smell food in sealed containers?

Bears have an insatiable appetite and an amazing sense of smell, and they consider anything with a scent to be "food." This can include canned goods, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests, sunscreen, bug repellant, fuel, items used for preparing or eating meals, etc.

Is a Ziplock bag odor proof?

Ziplocs are most definitely NOT odor proof. Whether its the pores or leaky bags or whatever, just stick any food in them and even you can smell it.

Does human poop attract bears?

Human waste

Both urine and feces are known to attract bears so it is best to set up the bathroom a little way away from camp and make sure waste is stored in an odor-proof bag where possible.

Can a bear break a car window?

All North American bear species have been known to not only be able to break into car windows but to be completely capable of tearing open doors and truck lids if they sense food on the inside. Their search for food is relentless, and the more you can do to minimize your car as a target, the better.